Proactive monitoring system for investment projects: mathematical support

Using mathematical based evaluation systems will help ranking investment projects to select the best and most promising among the available. Based on the study, the author sees it best to apply mathematical models and concentrate on conceptual investment projects for reducing monitoring and evaluation costs, as well as initial development costs. Optimal ways to form expert groups for investment project proactive monitoring is offered in conclusio

Влияние снежного покрова на промерзание и протаивание грунта на Западном Шпицбергене

This paper presents the results of experimental research of snow cover influence on ground freezing/thawing in Svalbard. Observations show that even before the snow disappearance ground thaws for dozens of centimeters that increases the thaw depth later in the season. Under the snow cover of 40 cm the thaw depth can reach 35–50 cm. The thawing can be caused by melt water with slightly positive temperature, percolating under the snow cover near the ground surface. The data on ground temperature regime during a year under various snow depths are given. Under a shallow snow cover the ground cools significantly, and this process causes the slowing down subsequent thawing.Рассматриваются результаты натурных измерений и расчётов влияния снежного покрова на промерзание и протаивание грунта на Западном Шпицбергене. Установлено, что ещё до схода снежного покрова грунт протаивает на десятки сантиметров, в результате чего увеличивается толщина талого слоя. Так, под снегом, толщиной 40 см, глубина протаивания грунта составляет 35–50 см. По мнению авторов, это может быть вызвано талой водой с небольшой положительной температурой, фильтрующейся под снежным покровом в приповерхностной части грунта

Morphological features of the uterus in women at different time intervals of the postmortem period as diagnostic criteria for establishing the postmortem interval

The aim is to identify the morphological features of the uterus layers in women at different time intervals of the postmortem period as diagnostic criteria for establishing the postmortem interval. Materials and methods: In the study we used surgical and autopsy material – uterine tissue fragments. All materials were divided into two groups. The 1st group (G 1) included surgical material from women (n=6) who underwent removal of the uterus, or uterus with the appendages due to leiomyoma, uterine prolapse. The 2nd group (G 2) included autopsy material from 42 women with known causes of death and postmortem period (from 24 to 48 hours – 6 cases, from 49 to 72 hours – 7 cases, from 73 to 96 hours – 8 cases, from 97 to 120 hours – 6 cases, from 121 to 144 hours – 8 cases, more than 144 hours – 7 cases). Histological and immunohistochemical study methods were used. Results: A comprehensive morphological study of the women uterus revealed a time-dependent increase of postmortem changes in this organ linked with the increase of postmortem period. In cases of postmortem period duration up to 144 hours, the structural elements of the uterine layers were identified. In cases where the duration of the postmortem period was more than 145 hours, microscopically the uterus was represented by eosinophilic fibrous or dusty masses, the histogenesis of which could not be determined. The processes of autolysis occurred more intensely and faster in the mucous membrane of the uterus, in comparison with the muscular and serous membranes, and in the vessels – in their inner membrane, in comparison with the middle and outer membranes. Autolytic changes in the muscular membrane of the uterus and vascular walls occurred more intensely in muscle fibers compared to connective tissue fibers. Conclusions: The histological and immunohistochemical features of the women uterus at different postmortem periods have a certain forensic medical significance and can be used for establishing the postmortem interval

The atmospheric role in the Arctic water cycle: A review on processes, past and future changes, and their impacts

This is the final version of the article. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.Atmospheric humidity, clouds, precipitation, and evapotranspiration are essential components of the Arctic climate system. During recent decades, specific humidity and precipitation have generally increased in the Arctic, but changes in evapotranspiration are poorly known. Trends in clouds vary depending on the region and season. Climate model experiments suggest that increases in precipitation are related to global warming. In turn, feedbacks associated with the increase in atmospheric moisture and decrease in sea ice and snow cover have contributed to the Arctic amplification of global warming. Climate models have captured the overall wetting trend but have limited success in reproducing regional details. For the rest of the 21st century, climate models project strong warming and increasing precipitation, but different models yield different results for changes in cloud cover. The model differences are largest in months of minimum sea ice cover. Evapotranspiration is projected to increase in winter but in summer to decrease over the oceans and increase over land. Increasing net precipitation increases river discharge to the Arctic Ocean. Over sea ice in summer, projected increase in rain and decrease in snowfall decrease the surface albedo and, hence, further amplify snow/ice surface melt. With reducing sea ice, wind forcing on the Arctic Ocean increases with impacts on ocean currents and freshwater transport out of the Arctic. Improvements in observations, process understanding, and modeling capabilities are needed to better quantify the atmospheric role in the Arctic water cycle and its changes.We thank all colleagues involved in the Arctic Freshwater Synthesis (AFS) for fruitful discussions. In particular, John Walsh is acknowledged for his constructive comments on the manuscript. AFS has been sponsored by the World Climate Research Programme’s Climate and the Cryosphere project (WCRP-CliC), the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), and the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP). The work for this paper has been supported by the Academy of Finland (contracts 259537 and 283101), the UK Natural Environment Research Council (grant NE/J019585/1), the US National Science Foundation grant ARC-1023592 and the Program “Arctic” and the Basic Research Program of the Presidium Russian Academy of Sciences. NCAR is supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation. We gratefully acknowledge the project coordination and meeting support of Jenny Baeseman and Gwenaelle Hamon at the CliC International Project Office. No new data were applied in the manuscript. Data applied for Figures 2 and 3 are available from the JRA-55 archive at http://jra. kishou.go.jp/JRA-55/index_en. html#usage

Dynamics of indicators on the incidence of gonorrhea during 2015 – 2017. in the Orenburg region and Russian Federation

The article deals with the epidemiological situation of gonorrhea at the Federal (Russian Federation) and regional (Orenburg region) levels for 2015 – 2017.the Subject of the study was the dynamics of such indicators as the incidence and prevalence of gonorrhea according to various criteria. The article also touches upon the main measures of prevention of this disease.В статье рассмотрена эпидемиологическая ситуация по гонококковой инфекции на федеральном (РФ) и областном (Оренбургская область) уровнях за 2015 – 2017 гг. Предметом изучения заболеваемости явилась динамика таких показателей, как: заболеваемость и распространённость гонореи по различным критериям. Также в статье затронуты основные меры профилактики данного заболевания

CHANGES IN THE SNOW COVER THICKNESS AND OF DAILY SNOWFALL INTENSITY AFFECTING THE HIGHWAYS CLEANING EXPENSES IN RUSSIAN CITIES

The research results of cold season precipitation characteristics and their changes over Russiain 1950–2006, as well as their reflecting relation to conventional snow cleaning costs are reported. The changes of the amount of precipitation under negative air temperature, number of days with weak (0–2 mm/day), medium (2–5 mm/day), extreme (more 5 mm/day) snowfalls, and number of 5mm-precipitation series in Russia are explored. The tendency of snow amount increase in (1989–2006) as compared with (1950–1980) has been detected on almost entire territory of the country. The number of weak snowfalls increased statistically significantly over the most part of Russia. The number of medium and heavy snowfalls increased in the east of the European Russia and in the west of Siberia, and reduced in the northeast of Siberia. The cause of applied climate characteristics’ changes during the investigated period may be the variation of atmospheric circulation mechanisms, which occurred in the middle of 1970s. The circulation mechanism SCAND dominated in the formation of precipitation field in 1950–1974, while positive phase of NAO′ and its influence on winter precipitation became stronger in 1975–2006. The snow cleaning conventional costs increased inMoscow and Khanty-Mansiysk because of intensive development of the cities. The snow cleaning conventional costs decreased inSt. Petersburg andPetropavlovsk-on-Kamchatka, and the meteorological factor played significant role in that

Influence of snow cover on soil freezing and thawing in the West Spitsbergen

This paper presents the results of experimental research of snow cover influence on ground freezing/thawing in Svalbard. Observations show that even before the snow disappearance ground thaws for dozens of centimeters that increases the thaw depth later in the season. Under the snow cover of 40 cm the thaw depth can reach 35–50 cm. The thawing can be caused by melt water with slightly positive temperature, percolating under the snow cover near the ground surface. The data on ground temperature regime during a year under various snow depths are given. Under a shallow snow cover the ground cools significantly, and this process causes the slowing down subsequent thawing

ИЗМЕНЕНИЯ ТОЛЩИНЫ СНЕЖНОГО ПОКРОВА И СУТОЧНОЙ ИНТЕНСИВНОСТИ СНЕГОПАДОВ, ВЛИЯЮЩИЕ НА РАСХОДЫ ПО УБОРКЕ МАГИСТРАЛЕЙ В РОССИЙСКИХ ГОРОДАХ

The research results of cold season precipitation characteristics and their changes over Russiain 1950–2006, as well as their reflecting relation to conventional snow cleaning costs are reported. The changes of the amount of precipitation under negative air temperature, number of days with weak (0–2 mm/day), medium (2–5 mm/day), extreme (more 5 mm/day) snowfalls, and number of 5mm-precipitation series in Russia are explored. The tendency of snow amount increase in (1989–2006) as compared with (1950–1980) has been detected on almost entire territory of the country. The number of weak snowfalls increased statistically significantly over the most part of Russia. The number of medium and heavy snowfalls increased in the east of the European Russia and in the west of Siberia, and reduced in the northeast of Siberia. The cause of applied climate characteristics’ changes during the investigated period may be the variation of atmospheric circulation mechanisms, which occurred in the middle of 1970s. The circulation mechanism SCAND dominated in the formation of precipitation field in 1950–1974, while positive phase of NAO′ and its influence on winter precipitation became stronger in 1975–2006. The snow cleaning conventional costs increased inMoscow and Khanty-Mansiysk because of intensive development of the cities. The snow cleaning conventional costs decreased inSt. Petersburg andPetropavlovsk-on-Kamchatka, and the meteorological factor played significant role in that.Исследованы осадки холодных сезонов 1950–2006 гг. на территории России и их влияние на расходы по уборке снега в некоторых российских городах. Рассмотрены общее количество осадков за холодный период, а также число дней с осадками 0–2, 2–5 и более 5 мм/сут. За последнее время на территории России при общей тенденции к увеличению количества снега везде уменьшилось число слабых снегопадов; число снегопадов средней и большой интенсивности возросло на востоке Восточно-Европейской равнины и в Западной Сибири, но уменьшилось на северо-востоке Сибири. Вероятная причина наблюдаемых изменений – смена режима атмосферной циркуляции в середине 1970-х годов. Если в 1950–1974 гг. в формировании осадков января доминировал циркуляционный механизм SCAND, то 1975–2006 гг. были периодом усиления положительной фазы NAO. В Москве и Ханты-Мансийске расходы на уборку магистралей от снега возрастали, что в первую очередь связано с развитием этих городов (а в Ханты-Мансийске и с бóльшим числом снегопадов). В Санкт-Петербурге и Петропавловске-Камчатском расходы на уборку снега в период до2006 г. сокращались. Здесь существенную роль в изменении анализируемого экономического показателя сыграл метеорологический фактор