Suicide is one of the leading causes of premature mortality in patients with schizophrenia, and suicide attempts are recognized as key factors in predicting suicide. Patients with schizophrenia who have attempted suicide tend to be young, lonely, and have more severe depressive symptoms. Among hospitalized patients, suicide risk peaks shortly after hospital discharge. The rate of suicide attempts is significantly higher in men with schizophrenia rather than in women. Some studies have shown that people with schizophrenia who attempted suicide had better cognitive functions indicators. The suicidal behavior is still typical of these patients, and up till today the search for connections between suicidal actions, the socio-demographic status of patients, clinical symptoms, including cognitive impairment in schizophrenia stays relevant. Aim of the study: to determine the relationships between a history of suicide attempts, symptom clusters (factors) obtained as a result of a five -factor analysis of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and cognitive impairment in a group of inpatients with paranoid schizophrenia receiving drug treatment. Materials and methods. 109 patients with paranoid schizophrenia (60 men and 49 women) were examined. All individuals included in the study were examined using the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) scale in an adapted Russian version. The severity of psychopathological symptoms was assessed using the five -factor model of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). The analysis of suicidal activity was carried out retrospectively (anamnestic). Results. The prevalence of suicide attempts in the entire sample of patients with paranoid schizophrenia equaled 18.3%. Patients who had attempted suicide had statistically significantly higher PANSS scores on the positive (p=0.047) and depressive (p=0.039) factors compared to patients without suicide attempts. However, there was no statistically significant difference in scores in the negative (p=0.429), cognitive (p=0.771) and arousal factor (p=0.735). Compared with patients without a history of attempts, patients with suicide attempts showed statistically significantly lower scores only on the BACS Motor Test with Chips subtest (p = 0.041). No statistically significant differences were found for the remaining subtests (p>0.05). According to multiple regression analysis, it was found that the positive factor of PANSS (beta=1.561; p=0.018), the depressive factor of PANSS (beta=1.614; p=0.012) and scores in the BACS "Motor Test with Chips" (beta= -1.657; p=0.016) were independent factors correlated with suicide attempts in schizophrenia. Conclusion . It has been established that suicide attempts in patients with paranoid schizophrenia correlate with the severity of positive and depressive symptoms on the PANSS scale, as well as with a decrease in motor function scores on the BACS scale.

Samples of Cr 4+ :LuAG ceramics have been synthesized using commercial and reprecipitated Lu 2 O 3 powders. The optimum conditions for the synthesis of the reprecipitated Lu 2 O 3 powder have been established, a dilatometric analysis of the ceramics has been carried out, and the effect of the initial Lu 2 O 3 powder on the optical properties of the ceramics has been studied.

Samples of Cr^4+:LuAG ceramics were obtained using commercial and reprecipitated Lu_2O_3 powders. The optimal conditions for the synthesis of reprecipitated Lu_2O_3 powder were determined, a dilatometric analysis of the ceramics was carried out, and the influence of the original Lu_2O_3 powder on the optical properties of ceramics.

Materials with high thermo mechanical properties are required as laser media for high-powered lasers. One of such materials is lutetium-aluminum garnet (LuAG) doped with ytterbium. In the present work, we discuss for the first time a full comparative study of 5% Yb-doped LuYAG ceramics with variation Lu/Y ratio. Samples were prepared with addition of B2O3, MgO and SiO2 which were used as sintering aids. Grain sizes, shrinkage curves, lattice constants and transmission spectra were measured for all samples. Thermal conductivity was measured in a wide temperature range for all studied samples. Output power of 12 W and 60% slope efficiency were obtained on the 5% Yb:LuAG disk laser.

This work is devoted to the problem of improving the spectral and luminescent properties of optical ceramics based on Y 2 O 3 sesquioxide doped with $\text{Er}^{3+}$ ions. A technology for processing ceramics by hot isostatic pressing has been proposed. SEM-images of Er: Y 2 O 3 samples subjected to the HIP treatment are shown.

Results are presented from a comprehensive investigation of optical ceramics based on erbium-activated Y 2 O 3 that included their synthesis and spectroscopic characterization. A regime is established for producing bulk material with an optical transmission of 0.78–0.80, which is close to the theoretical value of 0.83. The main spectral-luminescent properties of Er:Y 2 O 3 optical ceramics are determined in the spectral range of 1.5–1.6 µm.

Materials with high thermo mechanical properties are required for high powered lasers. One of such materials is lutetium-aluminum garnet (LuAG) doped with ytterbium. In this work main properties of (LuxY1-x)AG:Yb3+ ceramics with x=0-1 are studied in order to determine optimal Lu/Y ratio for lasing purposes.

Main properties of ytterbium doped lutetium-yttrium aluminum garnet ceramics with different ratios of lutetium to yttrium substitution (x=0-1) and different levels of ytterbium doping (5-15%) are investigated.

Objective.The authors tried to identify the typology, severity and overlap of neurocognitive deficits with positive/negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.Materials and methods.Fifty patients aged 22–55 years (25 women (50%) and 25 men (50%)) with schizophrenia diagnosed according to ICD-10 were examined. The average age was 38.0 ± 4.8 years, the average age of onset was 23 ± 3.2 years, the average disease duration was 15 ± 3.7 years. The patients were examined using battery tests to quantify their cognitive functions: Trail Making Test A&B; Stroop Color Word Interference Test; Verbal Fluency; Benton Visual Retention Test; 10 words learning; WAIS Digit Symbol Test; and WAIS Trail Making Test. The evaluation of cognitive deficits was carried out using z-scales. Association of neurocognitive deficits with other schizophrenia symptoms was also estimated using PANSS. The control group that was formed on the basis of the cognitive sphere parameters included 50 healthy volunteers. Statistical processing was carried out using the Mann–Whitney U test, k-means clustering, and the Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance.Results.The patients with schizophrenia and healthy individuals had significant differences in the second part of the Stroop Color Word Interference Test, both parts of the Verbal Fluency, average score of Benton Visual Retention Test, 10 words learning basedon 5 reiterations, WAIS Digit Symbol Test and WAIS Trail Making Test withp< 0.05; in the Trail Making Test B withp< 0.01. The cognitive sampling profile was determined and compared with the PANSS scores. The significant predominance (p< 0.05) of the symptoms across all scales was found with impaired attention, visual memory, performance function, and/or orientation/coordination, as opposed to the other manifestations of cognitive deficits.Conclusion.Neurocognitive deficits form syndromal overlaps with positive and negative schizophrenia syndromes, and the presence of attention, visual memory, performance and orientation / coordination disturbances is associated with the severity of schizophrenia in general.