Asset approach to IT cost management in industrial companies

The article introduces the authors’ estimation method for measuring the current level of information technologies in companies by four aspects (hardware, software, IT services, and telecommunication equipment) using the proposed original indicators. On the example of 50 sample Russian industrial companies the authors have built and tested an econometric model, which allows to measure how IT costs are affected by such factors as: the current level of IT development, net profit value, number of employees, general wages, salaries of IT specialists, percentage of qualified workers.IT management, IT development, IT cost management, industrial companies., Industrial Organization, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, M15,

Environmental and anthropogenic factors influencing key cabbage Lepidopteran pests in the southwestern Siberia

The lepidopteran pest community composition on cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.) as the main vegetable crop in the conditions of southwestern Siberia was presented. In 2015-2019, the dominant cabbage pests were diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella L.) and cabbage moth (Mamestra brassicae L.). The continuous application of insecticides against the cabbage pests along with climatic factors led to a change in insect species community composition. This was manifested as an increase in the number of the diamondback moth and a decrease in the abundance of other Lepidoptera species. The mean number of diamondback moths varied from 0.06 (in a year of low numbers) to 1.4 specimens per plant (in years of outbreaks), and for cabbage moth - 0.12 (2015) and 0.43 (2016), respectively. In commercial cabbage field, both egg-laying and caterpillars of Pieris brassicae L. and P. rapae L. were found as a single individual. During the years of research, we noted earlier diamondback moth and cabbage moth appearance dates in the field. More frequent diamondback moth outbreaks were observed. The period of cabbage damage by the diamondback moth lasted longer than usual during the growing seasons due to an increase in the number of insect generations in the conditions of the southwestern Siberia

HPV-associated cervicitis

Cervical inflammatory disease associated with papillomavirus infection is one of the most common inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs and plays a role in developing cervical dysplasia and cancer. Over the past 15 years, Russia has seen an increase in the proportion of neglected cervical cancer cases. Currently, the management and treatment strategy for cervicitis associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical intraepithelial dysplasia ranges from monitoring with HPV testing and cytological control to excision and cervical conization. The immune status determines the course of the papillomavirus infection, which may be transient, latent, or persistent. In most cases (7080%), HPV is eliminated spontaneously. The detection of HPV DNA with clinical and morphological changes indicates a latent course of the disease. The complex use of clinical data and morphological and molecular biological studies results is most promising in identifying early prognostic markers of cervical malignancy. It is the basis for further search for cervical precancer progression pathogenetic markers

Common and specific images of the Russian and German axiological phraseological units in the cultural codes

This article discusses common and specific images of the Russian and German axiological phraseologisms through the prism of cultural codes. The authors have differentiated 14 cultural codes within which the common images of the Russian and German axiological phraseological units are defined, carried out the quantitative analysis of distribution of phraseological units in the codes of the culture and images of set phrases according to the type. It has been found that the basis of interpretation of the images is revelation of an internal form of the phraseologism that binds the value / antivalue and a language picture of the world. Specific images in the Russian and German phraseological units correlate with the Russian and German cultures

Pyo-ovarium during pregnancy. Case report

The issue of postpartum inflammatory diseases of the uterus and appendages remains relevant for modern obstetrics due to their high percentage (5–26%) in the structure of morbidity and mortality among postpartum women. A rare clinical case of purulent oophoritis that occurred in a woman at the end of pregnancy and was detected on day 22 after childbirth, which was due to diagnostic difficulties, is presented, and the management approach in this clinical situation is shown

Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Applied in Fibrin Glue Stimulate Peripheral Nerve Regeneration

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) hold a great promise for cell therapy. To date, they represent one of the best choices for the treatment of post-traumatic injuries of the peripheral nervous system. Although autologous can be easily transplanted in the injured area, clinical advances in this filed have been impaired by lack of preservation of graft cells into the injury area after transplantation. Indeed, cell viability is not retained after injection into the blood stream, and cells injected directly into the area of injury either are washed off or inhibit regeneration through scar formation and neuroma development. This study proposes a new way of MSCs delivery to the area of traumatic injury by using fibrin glue, which not only fixes cells at the site of application but also provides extracellular matrix support. Using a sciatic nerve injury model, MSC derived from adipose tissue embedded in fibrin glue were able to enter the nerve and migrate mainly retrogradely after transplantation. They also demonstrated a neuroprotective effect on DRG L5 sensory neurons and stimulated axon growth and myelination. Post-traumatic changes of the sensory neuron phenotype were also improved. Importantly, MSCs stimulated nerve angiogenesis and motor function recovery. Therefore, our data suggest that MSC therapy using fibrin glue is a safe and efficient method of cell transplantation in cases of sciatic nerve injury, and that this method of delivery of regeneration stimulants could be beneficial for the successful treatment of other central and peripheral nervous system conditions

Phenological shifts of abiotic events, producers and consumers across a continent

Ongoing climate change can shift organism phenology in ways that vary depending on species, habitats and climate factors studied. To probe for large-scale patterns in associated phenological change, we use 70,709 observations from six decades of systematic monitoring across the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Among 110 phenological events related to plants, birds, insects, amphibians and fungi, we find a mosaic of change, defying simple predictions of earlier springs, later autumns and stronger changes at higher latitudes and elevations. Site mean temperature emerged as a strong predictor of local phenology, but the magnitude and direction of change varied with trophic level and the relative timing of an event. Beyond temperature-associated variation, we uncover high variation among both sites and years, with some sites being characterized by disproportionately long seasons and others by short ones. Our findings emphasize concerns regarding ecosystem integrity and highlight the difficulty of predicting climate change outcomes. The authors use systematic monitoring across the former USSR to investigate phenological changes across taxa. The long-term mean temperature of a site emerged as a strong predictor of phenological change, with further imprints of trophic level, event timing, site, year and biotic interactions.Peer reviewe

Chronicles of nature calendar, a long-term and large-scale multitaxon database on phenology

We present an extensive, large-scale, long-term and multitaxon database on phenological and climatic variation, involving 506,186 observation dates acquired in 471 localities in Russian Federation, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan. The data cover the period 1890-2018, with 96% of the data being from 1960 onwards. The database is rich in plants, birds and climatic events, but also includes insects, amphibians, reptiles and fungi. The database includes multiple events per species, such as the onset days of leaf unfolding and leaf fall for plants, and the days for first spring and last autumn occurrences for birds. The data were acquired using standardized methods by permanent staff of national parks and nature reserves (87% of the data) and members of a phenological observation network (13% of the data). The database is valuable for exploring how species respond in their phenology to climate change. Large-scale analyses of spatial variation in phenological response can help to better predict the consequences of species and community responses to climate change.Peer reviewe

Canagliflozin and Cardiovascular and Renal Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Chronic Kidney Disease in Primary and Secondary Cardiovascular Prevention Groups

Background: Canagliflozin reduces the risk of kidney failure in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease, but effects on specific cardiovascular outcomes are uncertain, as are effects in people without previous cardiovascular disease (primary prevention). Methods: In CREDENCE (Canagliflozin and Renal Events in Diabetes With Established Nephropathy Clinical Evaluation), 4401 participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease were randomly assigned to canagliflozin or placebo on a background of optimized standard of care. Results: Primary prevention participants (n=2181, 49.6%) were younger (61 versus 65 years), were more often female (37% versus 31%), and had shorter duration of diabetes mellitus (15 years versus 16 years) compared with secondary prevention participants (n=2220, 50.4%). Canagliflozin reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events overall (hazard ratio [HR], 0.80 [95% CI, 0.67-0.95]; P=0.01), with consistent reductions in both the primary (HR, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.49-0.94]) and secondary (HR, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.69-1.06]) prevention groups (P for interaction=0.25). Effects were also similar for the components of the composite including cardiovascular death (HR, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.61-1.00]), nonfatal myocardial infarction (HR, 0.81 [95% CI, 0.59-1.10]), and nonfatal stroke (HR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.56-1.15]). The risk of the primary composite renal outcome and the composite of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure were also consistently reduced in both the primary and secondary prevention groups (P for interaction >0.5 for each outcome). Conclusions: Canagliflozin significantly reduced major cardiovascular events and kidney failure in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease, including in participants who did not have previous cardiovascular disease

Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to <90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], >300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of <15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P<0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P<0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years