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The article considers N. Gumilevs poem The Moon at Sea from the cycle Porcelain Pavilion. New in the work is the interpretation of the poem, the identification and explanation of the Chinese realities of N. Gumilevs poetic text. Revealed the original texts, which became the basis for the creation of N. Gumilevs poem The Moon on the Sea, considered a version of the poem, preserved in the poets manuscript. The authors reasoning and conclusions are based on critical research, which compares two cultures. The analysis of N. Gumilevs poem is carried out in the semantic aspect using the search for textual parallels. Interpretation of N. Gumilevs poem The Moon on the Sea allows, on the other hand, to approach the world outlook of the Silver Age culture, explains the genesis of the image of China in N. Gumilevs poetry.

The article deals with the abuse of law typical for all debtors: the artificial creation of debt, the reduction of the bankruptcy estate by alienating the liquid property of the debtor. Based on the results of the study, the author identifies the features of abuse of law that are characteristic only for the bankruptcy of organizations, in particular, the use of corporate relations, falsification of accounting documents and the features of abuse of law that are identified only in the bankruptcy of citizens - the debtor's investment in expensive residential premises related to the only housing of the debtor.

The image of a falcon in “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” and ancient Chinese literature is analyzed. The material for the study was the original text of “The Tale”, its translations and comments to them by Chinese literary scholars Wei Huangnu and Li Xiyin, as well as famous ancient Chinese works. One of the main motives of the artistic and pictorial ornithology of “The Tale” is examined in detail — the individual and personal images of the falcons-Russian princes, opposing the spontaneity, chaos of the bird flock as an enemy horde. In ancient Chinese literature, the ornithological figurative complex serves as a symbol, firstly, of elite divisions, strong troops; secondly, a person filled with high motives, both heroic and career ambitious; thirdly, the authority of the monarch or some other important person in power. The novelty of the research is seen in the fact that for the first time the mythologeme falcon of “The Tale” is considered in intertextual comparison with the works of ancient Chinese literature. It is concluded that the symbolic connotations of the falcon both in ancient Chinese literature and in “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” are closely related to the real qualities of this bird’s behavior in its natural environment: bravery, courage, dexterity.

The article studies the features of monitoring of goods turnover, including marking of goods, as well as turnover in the state information system of monitoring over turnover of goods involved in the relations of the operator issuing the codes, marking, collecting information, its storage and provision. The marking functions are defined: the function of analysis of wholesale and retail turnover, information function, identifying and control functions

A combined passive shield of the RED-100 two-phase emission neutrino detector has been developed and built for suppressing the background of external γ rays and neutrons. The shield is composed of a 5‑cm-thick copper layer (the inner layer is adjacent to the detector) and a water layer with a total thickness of approximately 70 cm (including the water inside the copper shield). The Monte Carlo simulation of the shielding efficiency has been performed. The obtained attenuation factor of the copper shield for the γ-ray background has been experimentally verified in a laboratory test using a NaI(Tl) scintillator detector. The γ‑ray background rejection factor of the full shield has also been calculated.

The research results of multisensors based on optical fiber, the principle of which is to change the conditions of propagation of optical radiation in the optical fiber in the places where macro-bends are formed at the points of impact, are presented in the paper. The formation of macro-bends leads to an additional attenuation of the power of optical radiation propagating through the optical fiber. A single-mode optical fiber was used with the parameters, which are supported by numerous manufacturers and comply with the recommendations of ITU-T G.655. The measurements were carried out for four wavelengths of optical radiation (1310, 1490, 1550, 1625 nm), corresponding to the transparency windows of the optical loss spectrum of the optical fiber. Using optical reflectometry methods, it was determined that the amount of attenuation of optical radiation of each macro-bend formed at the point of action of the multisensor does not depend on the number of simultaneously formed macro-bends and also does not depend on the location of the point of action along the length of the multisensor. The dependences of the attenuation of the optical radiation power introduced by the macro-bends of the optical fiber on the radius, length, or angle of the macro-bends formed at the multisensory impact points are determined experimentally. The obtained dependences also allow one to determine the optimal parameters of the formed macro-bends of the multisensor to obtain the maximum range of attenuation change for each value of the wavelength. The values of the minimum distance between the impact points, the maximum number of impact points and the optimal values of the radius and angle of the optical fiber macro-bend at the impact points are determined. The results obtained provide opportunities to continue the development of multisensors that allow us to receive information about parameters from several impact points, that are located on a single optical fiber, simultaneously.

The review touches upon the problems, which are formulated and solved by the group of authors in the scientifi c study “From Chekhov to Brodsky: Aesthetic and Philosophical Aspects of Russian Literature of the 20th Century”. The importance of scientifi c research, originality, well-based arguments of the authors position, the value and novelty of material are underlined in the review.

Aims were to compare the characteristics of hormonal and metabolic status, a set of proinflammatory and antiinflammatory markers, as well as factors associated with DNA damage/ genome integrity in endometrial cancer (EC) patients, divided on the basis of the contemporary classification that distinguishes four molecular-biological types of this tumor. Materials and methods: The study involved material from untreated EC patients, the number of which varied depending on the method used. The average age of patients was close to 60 years and about 90% of them were in postmenopausal period. In the course of evaluation of pro-inflammatory and antiinflammatory factors (levels of cytokines IL-6 and TNF, myo-kine myostatin and adipokine prefilin / Pref-1 /, the ratio of neutrophils/lymphocytes in the blood), an enzyme immunoassay and hematological analysis were used, while the study of the expression of lipoxygenases’ mRNA (“pro-inflammatory” alox5 and “anti-inflammatory” alox15) in omental adipose tissue was based on real-time PCR methodology. Besides, the comet tail moment and % of DNA in the tail of comets of mononuclear cells, the level of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine in circulation and the telomere length of mononuclear cells were, respectively, measured as an indicators of DNA damage or genome integrity. Results and conclusions: According to the data obtained, the differences between EC patients are determined not only by the propensity for overweight or lack of it, but also by belonging of the individual case to one or another molecular-biological type established on the basis of genetic and immu-nohistochemical analysis of the tumor tissue. Altogether this may indicate certain specificity of stimuluses leading to the development of particular endometrial cancer variant.

Neoadjuvant systemic treatment of patients with breast cancer (BC) may include neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NHT), neoadjuvant hormone therapy (NGT), neoadjuvant targeted therapy. The type of systemic therapy is determined by the level of expression of estrogen/progesterone receptors, HER2, i.e. immunohistochemical characteristic of the disease. In this article, we evaluated the predictive value of the profile of plasma exosomal microRNA, assessing the immediate efficacy of NHT, which included taxanes. Obtained results revealed a correlation between the level of concentration of several miRNA molecules in circulating exosomes and the effect of NHT. Furthermore, the index calculated as the ratio of miR-34a and miR-451 concentrations, allowеd to predict the effect of taxanecontaining NHT. The results confirm the assumption on the predictive significance of exosomal miRNA. Further research is needed to confirm the validity of a new method of prediction of the NHT efficacy in breast cancer.

Viral diseases of plants remain the main causes of significant damage in agricultural production. Various epidemiological measures have been taken to avoid viral diseases, including phytosanitary measures, using virus-free planting material, the fight against viral vectors, and the introduction of resistant or tolerant varieties. In recent years, the efforts of researchers around the world have been aimed at investigating the factors related to both natural and induced virus resistance of plants as well as the development and introduction of varieties created by genetic manipulation (bioengineering methods). The development of new antivirus strategies requires deep understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the natural resistance and biochemical processes occurring in virus infected plants. The review provides a brief description of genetic modification methods and considers the main genetic engineering approaches used to develop virus-resistant plants.

The problem of coherence violation in stroboscopic ranging with a high resolution in the range due to mutual phase instability of probing and reference radio signals has been considered. It has been shown that the violation of coherence in stroboscopic ranging systems is equivalent to the action of modulating interface and leads to a decrease in the system sensitivity. Requirements have been formulated for the coherence of reference generators in the stroboscopic processing system. The results of statistical modeling have been presented. It was shown that, in the current state of technology with stability of the frequencies of the reference generators, the achieved coherence is sufficient to probe asteroids with super-resolving signals in the range of up to 70 million kilometers. In this case, the dispersion of the signal in cosmic plasma limits the value of the linear resolution of the asteroid details at this range by the value of ~2.7 m. Comparison with the current radar resolution of asteroids has been considered, which, at the end of 2015, were ~7.5 m in the range of ~7 million kilometers.

Nowadays there is much tension in the Russian modern vine growing industry around the issue of enhancing the range of grape varieties, which is aimed at production of highly adaptive grape plants and sustainable production of competitive grape varieties in the unstable stressing weather conditions of the moderate continental climate in the south of Russia. In this view, we believe it important to carry out research into the origin, generation and preservation of genetic resources so that they can be involved in the selection process and reach most important objectives of the national economy. The role of a variety and ampelographic collections becomes more important. The Anapa ampelographic collection ( http://azosviv.info/category/osnovnye_razdely/anapskaya_ampelograficheskaya_kollekciya ) is Russia’s largest gene pool depository of grape varieties brought from various countries of Europe, Asia and America, and Russia’s regions as well. It contains 4921 grape varieties, including Vitis vinifera L. (2975), V. amurensis Rupr. (40), V. labrusca L. (50), the interspecies varieties V. vinifera L.×V. amurensis Rupr. (210), V. vinifera L.×V. labrusca L. (168), blended interspecies hybrids V. vinifera L.× hybrids SV (220), V. vinifera L.×V. amurensis Rupr.×hybrids SV (70), and other samples. We carry out extensive research into collection varieties for their production and selection. We select varieties and forms showing good agronomic characters in productivity, quality of grapes and wine products, winter hardiness, drought resistance, and resistance to pests. We have identified, preserved and now use in selection, as sources of good agronomic characters of resistance to low temperatures in winter, such varieties as Riesling of the Rhine, Rkatsiteli, Aligote, Riesling of Italy, Traminer Pink, Pinot Noir, Rara Neagra, Cabernet Sauvignon, Coarna Neagra, Pinot Gris, Gamay Freaux, Saperavi, Muscat Ottonel, Madeleine Angevine, Cabernet Franc, Khikhvi, Pearl of Csaba, Chardonnay, Krasnostop of Anapa, Dostoiniy, Krasnostop AZOS, etc. The collection has given birth to twenty seven varieties and elite forms, of which twelve varieties have been sent to the State Committee for the Testing of New Varieties of Agricultural Plants (Pluto, Muzhestvenniy (Courageous), Gordiy (Proud), Maran, Varvarovsky, Harmony, Progress, Gorniy (Mountaneous), Saturn, Dimitry, Vladimir, Kurchansky). We carry out a molecular genetic testing of the accumulated gene pool and DNA-classification of varieties. We have studied the microsatellite polymorphism in the genotypes of autochthonous grape varieties of the Don River and the Republic of Dagestan. We are performing the DNA-classification of varieties selected by the North Caucasian Regional Research Institute of Horticulture and Viticulture (Krasnodar), which is advantageous for the identification of pure varieties in planting material and vineyards and specifying of the parent forms of grape varieties, as well as when any disputes arise as to the variety authorship.

Experience with stationary thermal probes above the batch in blast furnaces is discussed. The influence of the incoming batch on the readings of the thermal probes is investigated. On the basis of the thermal- probe data, requirements on the batch distribution are formulated for blast furnaces with pulverized-coal injection.

The article presents a comparative analysis of clinical and morphological characteristics of tumor process in patients with breast cancer and endometrial cancer with diabetes mellitus and without it. Previously little-known features of the tumor process in combination with diabetes were revealed. The data obtained indicated that in case of breast cancer the presence of diabetes for a number of signs influenced the course/characteristics of the disease: e.g., the tumor size was significantly greater than in patients without diabetes and highly differentiated Gltumors were less common. In case of endometrial cancer, diabetes (but only in combination with obesity or postmenopausal period) was combined with more favorable characteristics of tumor indicating a diagnosis-specific effect of Type 2 diabetes in regard of the tumor process features. An evaluation of the role of antidiabetic therapy variant discovered that in patients with breast cancer metformin therapy was combined with more frequent detection of highly differentiated, hormone-positive tumors, which was not revealed in patients with endometrial cancer.

The RED-100 experimental setup, which is designed to detect elastic coherent neutrino scattering off xenon nuclei, is described. One specific feature of this setup is the possibility of using it in above ground experiments. The setup is based on the RED-100 two-phase emission detector in which liquid xenon is used as a working medium for detection of rare events. The results of the technical run with the setup are presented. These are the evidence of the normal operation of all systems and the readiness of the setup for carrying out an experiment.

RED-100 is a two-phase detector for study of coherent elastic scattering of reactor electron antineutrinos off xenon atomic nuclei. The detector contains a total of 200 kg of liquid xenon in a titanium cryostat with 160 kg of xenon in active volume inside a Teflon-made light collection cage associated with electrode system. The active volume is viewed by two arrays of nineteen 3"-diameter Hamamatsu R11410-20 PMTs assembled in two planes on top and bottom. The electrode system is equipped with an electron shutter (a patented device) to reduce a "spontaneous" single-electron noise. The detector was tested in a ground-level laboratory. The obtained results demonstrate that detection of coherent elastic scattering of reactor antineutrinos off xenon nuclei at Kalinin nuclear power plant with the RED-100 detector is feasible with a threshold of 4 ionization electrons., 23 pages, 13 figures

The RED-100 two-phase liquid xenon emission detector is developed today for the experiment aimed at searching for elastic coherent neutrino scattering off atomic nuclei. The main elements of the photodetector system of the RED-100 detector are Hamamatsu R11410-20 photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) dedicated for low-background experiments and liquid xenon environment. The basic characteristics of the PMTs are investigated, in particular, noise pulses and afterpulses, which may cause difficulties in searching for rare events. Amplitude distributions of the noise pulses and time distributions of the afterpulses, as well as the dependences of the noise pulse rate on the PMT bias voltage and the temperature are presented.

The possibility is demonstrated of refined design by numerical modeling for molding channel geometry in extrusion heads for manufacturing plastic profiles. The aim of modeling is determination of channel head shape providing balanced flow at the die exit. The feasibility of modifying the molding channel using an optimization algorithm makes it possible to calculate molding channel head geometry for prescribed extruded object dimensions. A fluid dynamics Ansys Polyflow software package is used for extrusion head development.

Development study of a wavelength shifter (WLS) to convert a noble gas emission light from the VUV region to the visible range is presented. The shifter is developed for the use with an array of blue-sensitive multipixel avalanche Geiger photodiodes (MRS APD) to detect Xe 175 nm emission. It was found that a polycrystalline p-terphenyl having an absorption peak at 180 nm with a molar extinction coefficient e of 37500±5000 mol −1 ·l cm −1 is well suited for this. To satisfy a requirement of compatibility with an extra pure noble gas detection medium the p-terphenyl layer was coated with an ∼1 μm thick poly-para-xylylene protection film. A new WLS with maximum of emission spectrum at 390 nm and at 420 nm is developed on the basis of a nanostructured organosilicon luminophore.

Optical phase modulator on Faraday effect in microstructured spun fiber is suggested for current sensor. It is showed that such modulator has a high effectiveness which is closed to theoretical one if a period of modulation is more than transit time of light through the fiber. A variation of parameters of optical interferometer with incorporated modulator is experimentally studied under mechanical disturbances on modulator fiber ends. It is discovered that a relative variation of interferometer visibility factor is considerably more than a variation of magneto-optical sensitivity under identical disturbances.

Hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia accelerate both aging and cancer. Antidiabetic biguanides such as metformin decrease glucose, insulin and IGF-1 level. Metformin increases lifespan and prevents cancer in mice, although its effects vary, depending on mice strain and gender. Here we showed that chronic treatment of female outbred SHR mice with metformin started at the age of 3, 9 or 15 months decreased body temperature and postponed age-related switch-off of estrous function. Surprisingly, metformin did not affect levels of serum cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose and insulin. Treatment with metformin started at the age of 3 months increased mean life span by 14% and maximum life span by 1 month. The treatment started at the age of 9 months insignificantly increased mean life span by only 6%, whereas the treatment started at the age of 15 months failed to increase life span. The mean life span of tumor-free mice was increased by 21% in ‘the youngest group’, by 7% in ‘middle-aged group’ and in contrast was reduced by 13% in ‘the oldest group’. When started at the age of 3 and 9 months, metformin delayed the first tumor detection by 22% and 25%, correspondingly. Thus, in female SHR mice, metformin increased life span and postponed tumors when started at the young and middle but not at the old age. In contrast, metformin improves reproductive function when started at any age.

The current concept of obesity as a heterogeneous condition is discussed. Such interpretation provides a basis for distinguishing a group of obese subjects without metabolic disturbances (metabolically healthy obese (MHO) subjects) and another one including subjects with normal body weight and signs of hormonal and metabolic disorders (metabolically obese normal weight (MONW) subjects). A separate subgroup is represented by obese patients with deficit of muscular mass and force (sarcopenic obesity). Potential mechanisms underlying development of these conditions are considered along with selected applied aspects of this problem.

Continuous steel-bar casting on a multistrand machine in superlong series is limited by the working-layer wear of the intermediate ladle’s lining within the slag band and the region of jet incidence. The lining life may be significantly increased by using high-strength concrete tundishes of special geometric shape, taking account of the specific ladle and the casting conditions. A fundamentally new metal-intake design for the casting of superlong series at multistrand continuous bar-casting machines is investigated. In the converter shop at OAO Enakievskii Metallurgicheskii Zavod, a casting series of maximum length 64 melts proves possible. This corresponds to the casting of 9300 t of steel from a single intermediate ladle. For optimal organizational and technological conditions, increase in this characteristic by a factor of 1.5–1.6 may be expected.

To evaluate the applicability of multipixel Geiger photodiodes in experiments searching for dark matter, such device from different manufacturers were studied in liquid and gaseous xenon. The detection efficiency for scintillation radiation at a wavelength of 175 nm was

It is experimentally shown that a single ionization electron can be detected by various xenon-based electroluminescent detectors with optical readout, such as a high-pressure cylindrical gas counter, a two-phase detector with gas amplification, and a two-phase detector with a plane-parallel and uniform electric field. The sensitivity of the detectors was 7, 18, and 15 photoelectrons respectively. The coordinate resolution of the two-phase detector for electrons resulting from field emission at the cathode was σX,Y = 5.2 mm.

An optical technique for detecting ionization electrons produced during ionization of the liquid phase has been experimentally tested in two-phase (liquid-gas) xenon. The effects of gas and electroluminescent amplifications at the wire anode are simultaneously used for detection. This method allows construction of a supersensitive detector of small ionization signals—down to those corresponding to the detection of single electrons.

A computer model of the circulation system used at OAO Mosenergo’s TETs-23 cogeneration station is developed that allows the hydraulic processes occurring in the system to be fully simulated, including those in the cooling towers, the flow in which becomes discontinuous. The optimal operating conditions of the circulation system are calculated, and the most efficient options of operation with the existing equipment are determined. Quantitative assessments characterizing the effectiveness of each option are presented.

Results of investigations relative to laws governing the behavior of disperse-soil masses subject to dynamic loads transmitted from structures at oil-extraction and transport complexes are generalized for the area surrounding the Middle Ob’ River as an example. An evaluation is made of the dynamic stability of the disperse-soil masses.

The intensities of 14N NQR signals have been calculated in relation to the amplitude of the initiating radiofrequency (RF) field of the radiopulse, the pulse duration, and the detuning. It is discussed whether it is possible to compensate the decrease in intensity of signals from some regions of an explosive which is in a nonuniform RF field by varying the detuning and the duration of the initiating pulse.

The bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene was expressed in licorice G. glabra L. suspension protoplasts by electroporation after introduction of the chimeric plasmid pDNt23-CaMV35S-nos-cat (pDNt23-root-specific and CaMV 35S promoters, nopaline synthase nos-terminator, and selectable NPT-II gene). Maximum of CAT activity in the licorice protoplasts was observed in 50 h after electroporation. Together with recent advances in the cell isolation and electroporation procedures, this system allows to study expression of the root-specific promoter introduced into the licorice cells. The level of total flavonoids production in 4 weeks culture was tested in the electroporated cell lines. Additionally, these electroporated cells were treated by elicitors (yeast extract and fungal bioextract). The total flavonoids production increased by 2–5 times in comparison with the non-electroporated licorice cells. Суспензійні протопласти солодцю Glycyrrhiza glabra L. транс­формували химерною плазмідою pDNt23-CaMV35S-nos мето­дом електропорації, для чого було підібрано оптимальні пара­метри цього процесу. Експресію підтверджували за допомогою репортерного гена хлорамфеніколацетилтрансферази (CAT). Максимальна його активність у трансформованих клітинах солодки спостерігалася через 50 год. Отримані трансформо­вані клітинні лінії продовжували культивувати протягом місяця для визначення сумарної фракції флавоноїдів. Транс­формовані клітинні агрегати солодцю додатково обробляли біотичними еліситорами. Вміст флавоноїдів в оброблених клітинних агрегатах у 2–5 разів перевищував контроль Суспензионные протопласты солодки G. glabra L. трансформи­ровали методом электропорации химерной плазмидой pDNt23-CaMV35S-nos, для чего были подобраны оптимальные пара­метры этого процесса. Экспрессию подтверждали с помощью репортерного гена хлорамфениколацетилтрансферазы (CAT). Максимальная его активность в трансформированных клет­ках солодки наблюдалась спустя 50 ч. Полученные трансфорированные клеточные линии продолжали культивировать в течение месяца для определения суммарной фракции флавоно­идов. Трансформированные клеточные агрегаты солодки до­ полнительно обрабатывали биотическими элиситорами. Содержание флавоноидов в обработанных агрегатах в 2–5 раз превышало контроль.

The effect of the biguanide siofor (metformin) on the menstrual function of the endometrium and on hormonal and metabolic parameters was studied in 27 patients with ovarian polycystosis (OPC), of them 15 patients (mean age 30.7±1.7 years) were treated with the antidiabetic biguanide siofor (Berlin-Chemi) for 3 months. Siofor (metformin) used alone in patients with OPC was effective in restoring a regular menstrual cycle in 60% of cases and concurrently showed a moderate decrease in body weight. There was a significant reduction in the blood level of luteinizing hormone (LH) in most siofor-treated patients with OPC (more frequently in obese patients), which is indicative of that it is important to correct the states of central parts of the reproductive system, which are involved (along with insulin resistance and impaired steroidogenesis) in the development and formation of a clinical picture of the disease. The elevated concentration of C-peptide was found in the blood, which might be one of the manifestations of overcoming insulin resistance.

Female rats (aged three months at the start of the study) were kept for four months on drinking water (group 1) or 5% ethanol. Rats drinking ethanol were additionally divided into six groups (groups 2–7). During the next two months of the experiment, animals of group 2 continued to drink only ethanol, while rats of group 3 additionally received N-acetylcysteine, those of group 4 received ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and α-tocopherol (vitamin E), those of group 5 received melatonin, those of group 6 received carnosine, and those of group 7 swam in the so-called training regime for five days a week. All animals underwent bilateral ovariectomy 2.5 weeks before experiments ended, and were given daily i.m. estradiol (2 μg) during the 11 days before the last experimental day. After treatments, blood estradiol and cholesterol levels were measured, along with progesterone receptor levels, peroxidase activity, the index of proliferation, the proportions of cells in the S and G2/M phases, the thickness of the endometrium, and the extent of DNA damage (using the “comet” technique) in uterine tissue. Liver estradiol 2-hydroxylase activity was also measured. The results led to the conclusion that drinking of 5% ethanol in combination with administration of estrogens was accompanied by induction of genotoxic (G) changes in the uterus and that this was prevented by administration of N-acetylcysteine and melatonin. The combination of vitamins C and E increased some of the manifestations of the hormonal (H) effect of estrogens (uterine weight and induction of progesterone receptors), but weakened others (the index of proliferation). As a result, the combination of N-acetylcysteine and optimum doses of ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol can be recommended for preventing the estrogen effect-switching phenomenon (increases in the G component on the background of weakening of the H component), which is seen particularly in patients consuming excessive amounts of alcohol, increasing the risk that the genotoxic version of hormonal cancerogenesis will develop.

A method for determining the eigenfrequencies of the fiber coils used in sensors based on a Sagnac interferometer is proposed. In this method, the fiber coil is used as the main part of an external resonator of a laser diode. The method is simple and reliable, and a high accuracy of measurements is ensured.

One hundred and eighteen primary breast cancer (BC) patients, 35 of whom were smokers, in clinical stages I-II of the disease were examined. In order to investigate whether smoking changes endocrine function in BC patients, some indices of the hormone-metabolic status of smoking and non-smoking patients of reproductive and menopausal age were compared. It was found that in smokers with BC there was a decline in body weight and body fat content, a lack of lean body mass accumulation along with body mass increase, a tendency to hypotriglyceridemia and hypoinsulinemia, accelerated development of the upper type of body fat distribution with ageing, intensified gonadotropin secretion, shifts in steroidogenesis and SHBG level and elevated catecholamine execretion. It is suggested that a possible relation between hormone-mediated effects inherent to smoking and the mechanisms promoting genotoxic type of hormonal carcinogenesis and the factors of breast cancer prognosis cannot be excluded.

A new optical scheme of the recirculation fiber loop interferometer with a Faraday reflector and a broadband radiation source is suggested. It is experimentally established that this scheme provides for a more than tenfold decrease in the instrument zero response caused by a spurious polarization modulation in the phase modulator. Factors leading to additional shifts in the instrument zero response are revealed.

It is experimentally demonstrated that a tenfold decrease in the level of spurious polarization modulation can be achieved in a fiber optic phase modulator comprising two fiber sections featuring the polarization mode conversion, arranged on the same piezoelement.

A preamplifier with a rise and fall time of ∼2.5 ns is described. At the output of a transmitting 50-Ω cable with matched terminations at both ends, and the input-equivalent circuit noise is 20 μV at an amplification factor of 7.5. Eight such preamplifiers are placed inside a unit with dimensions of 8 × 16 × 4 cm.

We studied the application of statistical reconstruction algorithms, namely maximum likelihood and least squares methods, to the problem of event reconstruction in a dual phase liquid xenon detector. An iterative method was developed for in-situ reconstruction of the PMT light response functions from calibration data taken with an uncollimated gamma-ray source. Using the techniques described, the performance of the ZEPLIN-III dark matter detector was studied for 122 keV gamma-rays. For the inner part of the detector (R, 8 pages, 7 figures, in the Conference Record of IEEE NSS 2011, accepted for publication in IEEE Trans. on Nuc. Sci

ZE3RA is the software package responsible for processing the raw data from the ZEPLIN-III dark matter experiment and its reduction into a set of parameters used in all subsequent analyses. The detector is a liquid xenon time projection chamber with scintillation and electroluminescence signals read out by an array of 31 photomultipliers. The dual range 62-channel data stream is optimised for the detection of scintillation pulses down to a single photoelectron and of ionisation signals as small as those produced by single electrons. We discuss in particular several strategies related to data filtering, pulse finding and pulse clustering which are tuned using calibration data to recover the best electron/nuclear recoil discrimination near the detection threshold, where most dark matter elastic scattering signatures are expected. The software was designed assuming only minimal knowledge of the physics underlying the detection principle, allowing an unbiased analysis of the experimental results and easy extension to other detectors with similar requirements.

ZEPLIN-III is a two-phase xenon direct dark matter experiment located at the Boulby Mine (UK). After its first science run in 2008 it was upgraded with: an array of low background photomultipliers, a new anti-coincidence detector system with plastic scintillator and an improved calibration system. After 319 days of data taking the second science run ended in May 2011. In this paper we describe the instrument performance with emphasis on the position and energy reconstruction algorithm and summarise the final science results., Comment: Submitted to PSD9 conference proceedings

Recent R&D work on full length scintillating homogeneous liquid xenon/krypton (LXe/Kr) cells has established the essential properties for precision EM calorimeters: in-situ calibration using α's, radiation hardness as well as the uniformity required for δE/E ≅ 0.5% for e/γ's above 50 GeV.

A method is described that allows calibration and assessment of the linearity of response of an array of photomultiplier tubes. The method does not require knowledge of the photomultiplier single photoelectron response model and uses science data directly, thus eliminating the need for dedicated data sets. In this manner all photomultiplier working conditions (e.g. temperature, external fields, etc) are exactly matched between calibration and science acquisitions. This is of particular importance in low background experiments such as ZEPLIN-III, where methods involving the use of external light sources for calibration are severely constrained., Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures