Migration to help compensate for Russia's population decline - FMS.

MOSCOW, January 30 (Itar-Tass) -- Growing migration will make it
possible to fully compensate for the decline of Russia's own population,
the chief of the federal migration service, Konstantin Romodanovsky, told
the FMS collegium on Friday.

"Even in the adverse economic conditions of last year growing
migration managed to fully compensate for population losses - for the
first time over the past decade - and even to achieve a surplus of 1.4
percent," Romodanovsky said, adding that the migration-related population
increase made up 227,500.
"This is the best demographic parameter for the past fifteen years,"
the FMS director said.
He pointed to the task of preserving the rate this year and even
improving it. He sees one of ways of achieving it in the promotion of
voluntary resettlement of compatriots.

.2009 saw 360 criminal cases over migration, 34,000 expulsions-FMS.

MOSCOW, January 30 (Itar-Tass) -- Last year saw over 360 criminal
cases opened on the basis of evidence provided by the Federal Migration
Service and another 2,300 cases opened over forged documents, FMS Director
Konstantin Romodanovsky told the FMS collegium on Friday.
He said that advanced technologies had enhanced the effectiveness of
immigration control. Last year the number of checks grew by a third, and
the list of identified administrative offenses increased by a quarter.
"A total of 34,000 foreign citizens were expelled from the country, 70
percent more than in the previous year, and the number of deportations
increased nearly three-fold."
Romodanovsky said the fines charged for violations of migration
legislation increased by 20 percent to 6.8 billion rubles, and half of
them had been collected. Almost 860,000 foreigners were brought to
administrative responsibility.

.Long space flights affect crews' ability to solve logical problems.

MOSCOW, January 30 (Itar-Tass) -- During prolonged orbital flights
space crews lose some skills of tackling logical problems, as follows from
preliminary conclusions by scientists at the Russian Academy of Sciences'
Institute of Medical and Biological Problems, presented at the 34th
international academic conference on astronautics this week.
"The results of examinations held on board the International Space
State last year indicate certain problems with reproducing adaptive
biocontrol skills in dealing with logical problems and tasks, something
not observed in handling spatial tasks," the experiment's chief, Tatyana
Yershova, said.
She recalled that all tasks and problems ISS crews are expected to
deal with fall within two categories - spatial ones (maneuvering, docking,
extra-vehicular activity), and logical ones (examination of the station's
condition, maintenance and repairs of ISS systems and others). For
evaluating the crews' psychological aptitude for doing certain jobs
researchers probed into the ability to retain adaptive biocontrol skills
using the bioelectric activity of the brain.
Certain types of logical and spatial tasks are simulated with such
computer games as Saper and Tetris respectively. Crewmembers play the
games with special sensor caps on. The caps transmit signals that are
transformed into a graphical record of the electrical activity of the
brain (encephalogram). The data about the crew member's brain activity are
processed on-line and shown to the testee on the screen of the on-board
computer in the form of a feedback signal easy for perception.
"At the beginning of the experiment we record a sample encephalogram,
and then we turn the computer game on, imitating this or that type of
activity. Then there follows a ten-minute test training session, and
finally, a computer game simulating the other type of activity is switched
on," Yershova said.
Researchers use the test training session to help the testees memorize
and recreate this or that feeling by activating certain parts of the brain.
"We are working on a physical method of enhancing crews' endurance in
performing certain jobs during prolonged flights, in contrast to the
pharmacological one," Yershova said.
This experiment will last for three years. Last year there were six
sessions. The first one was timed for the period of the human body's acute
adaptation to space flight factors. Also, there were two post-mission
tests.

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