Green Energy for Belt and Road Initiative: Economic Aspects Today and in the Future

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a comprehensive megaproject, which includes numerous projects in the sphere of green energy. The effectiveness of these projects is often doubted. The article reveals the main mechanisms of green energy projects' influence on the economy and through the research of 8 BRI countries demonstrates the method of green energy projects efficiency estimation. China is considered to be the main driver for green energy proliferation in Asia, receiving economic benefits through its policy. The authors prove this to be right, but the effects for PRC differ in short and long-run periods. The main findings of the paper are that the BRI green energy dissemination is just the first step to building a tightly interconnected Asian energy infrastructure, and that the BRI least developed countries have less positive long-run effects from green energy investment, while in short-term they get a boost for their economies. Keywords: BRI, green energy, energy, Asian region, China, JEL Classifications: F21; K32; O44 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/ijeep.804

The Black Sea Region Energy Cooperation: Current Trends and Prospects

The Black Sea region is one of the most complex regions in terms of energy development. It hosts several major powers and some developing countries that need to cut energy costs. In general, the region is controversial. It is influenced by external actors, and therefore regional stability is very difficult to achieve. In addition, institutional players such as the EU, the Belt and Road Initiative, the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, etc., have their own vision of the future of the Black Sea region. The article is aimed at assessing the regional balance of power and estimating the interests of the countries of the region. Based on this assessment, the authors have classified the countries in the region, predicted potential alliances, and provided recommendations on how the countries should behave in the region. The key findings comprise the rejection of the two hypotheses: the countries of the region cooperate mainly through similar institutions; and the countries of the region can efficiently cooperate within the framework of a single strategy. The novelty of the article is in a new look on the regional distribution of power and new strategies for cooperation between countries in the region.Keywords: The Black Sea region, energy sector, strategy, institutions, balance of powerJEL Classifications: F59, Q48DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/ijeep.11247</p

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of rebamipide. New possibilities of therapy: A review

The MedLine database contains 570 publications, including 71 randomized clinical trials and 6 meta-analyses on the rebamipide molecule in 2022. Indications for the use of rebamipide are gastric ulcer, chronic gastritis with hyperacidityin the acute stage, erosive gastritis, prevention of damage to the gastrointestinal mucosa while taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, eradication of Helicobacter pylori. Currently trials are studying the efficacy and safety of the drug in gouty and rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, Sjgren's syndrome, bronchial asthma, vitiligo, atherosclerosis, diseases of the kidneys and liver; using in traumatology to accelerate bone regeneration; in ophthalmology to improve the regeneration of corneal epithelium; in oncology to reduce inflammatory changes in the oral mucosa after chemoradiotherapy. The review article is about the main pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of rebamipide. A detailed understanding of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics allows for individual selection of therapy based on the characteristics of the patient's body gender, age, comorbidities; choose the optimal route of administration and dosing regimen; predict adverse effects and drug interactions; be determined with new clinical indications

International Consensus on Guiding Recommendations for Management of Patients with Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs Induced Gastropathy-ICON-G

Introduction: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), one of the most commonly used medications worldwide, are frequently associated with gastrointestinal adverse events. Primary care physicians often face the challenge of achieving adequate pain relief with NSAIDs, while keeping their adverse events to a minimum. This is especially true when long-term use of NSAIDs is required such as in patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. To help primary care physicians deal with such challenges more effectively, a panel of expert gastroenterologists came together with the aim of developing practice recommendations. Methods: A modified ‘Delphi’ process was used to reach consensus and develop practice recommendations. Twelve gastroenterologists from nine countries provided their expert inputs to formulate the recommendations. These recommendations were carefully developed taking into account existing literature, current practices, and expert opinion of the panelists. Results: The expert panel developed a total of fifteen practice recommendations. Following are the key recommendations: NSAIDs should be prescribed only when necessary; before prescribing NSAIDs, associated modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors should be considered; H. pylori infection should be considered and treated before initiating NSAIDs; patients should be properly educated regarding NSAIDs use; patients who need to be on long-term NSAIDs should be prescribed a gastroprotective agent, preferably a proton pump inhibitor and these patients should be closely monitored for any untoward adverse events. Conclusion/clinical significance: These practice recommendations will serve as an important tool for primary care physicians and will guide them in making appropriate therapeutic choices for their patients. Keywords: Gastropathy, Gastroprotective agents, Non-prescription drugs, Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Agents, Proton pump inhibitor. How to cite this article: Hunt R, Lazebnik LB, Marakhouski YC, Manuc M, Ramesh GN, Aye KS, Bordin DS, Bakulina NV, Iskakov BS, Khamraev AA, Stepanov YM, Ally R, Garg A. International Consensus on Guiding Recommendations for Management of Patients with Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs Induced Gastropathy-ICON-G. Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol, 2018;8(2):148-160. Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: Richard Hunt has served as a consultant for INSYS, Dr Reddy's, Takeda, and Novartis. He has received an honorarium from Novartis, Danone, Dr Reddy's, and Takeda. He has been on the speaker's bureau for Takeda and Dr Reddy's and on scientific advisory board for INSYS. Dmitry S Bordin has served as a lecturer for Astellas, AstraZeneca, KRKA and Abbott. For the remaining authors, there are no conflicts of interest

Effectiveness of empirical <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> eradication therapy with furazolidone in Russia: results from the European Registry on <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> Management (Hp-EuReg)

Background. First-line therapy does not always provide a high level of Helicobacter pylori eradication due to the increase of H. pylori resistance to antibiotics; therefore, it remains necessary to identify the most effective rescue treatments. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of empirical H. pylori furazolidone-containing regimens. Materials and methods. Adult H. pylori infected patients empirically treated with furazolidone-containing eradication regimens were registered in an international, prospective, multicenter non-intervention European registry on H. pylori management (Hp-EuReg). Data were collected at AEG-REDCap e-CRF from 2013 to 2021 and the quality was reviewed. Modified intention-to-treat (mITT) effectiveness analyses were performed. Results. Overall 106 patients received empirical furazolidone-containing therapy in Russia. Furazolidone was prescribed in a sequential scheme along with amoxicillin, clarithromycin and a proton pump inhibitor in 68 (64%) cases, triple regimens were prescribed in 28 (26%) patients and quadruple regimens in 10 (9.4%). Treatment duration of 7 days was assigned to 2 (1.9%) patients, 10-day eradication therapy in case of 80 (75%) and 14 days in 24 (23%) patients. Furazolidone was mainly used in first- (79%) and second-line (21%) regimens. The methods used to diagnose H. pylori infection were: histology (81%), stool antigen test (64%), 13C-urea breath test (6.6%), and rapid urease test (1.9%). The mITT effectiveness of sequential therapy was 100%; 93% with the triple therapy and 75.5% with quadruple therapy. Compliance was reported in 98% of cases. Adverse events were revealed in 5.7% of patients, mostly nausea (3.8%). No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion. Furazolidone containing eradication regimens appear to be an effective and safe empirical therapy in Russia

Micromagnetic Simulation of Increased Coercivity of (Sm, Zr)(Co, Fe, Cu)_z Permanent Magnets

The finite element micromagnetic simulation is used to study the role of complex composition of 2:17R-cell boundaries in the realization of magnetization reversal processes of (Sm, Zr)(Co, Cu, Fe)z alloys intended for high-energy permanent magnets. A modified sandwich model is considered for the combinations of 2:7R/1:5H phase and 5:19R/1:5H phase layers as the 2:17R-cell boundaries in the alloy structure. The results of the simulation represented in the form of coercive force vs. total width of cell boundary showed the possibility of reaching the increased coercivity at the expense of 180°-domain wall pinning at the additional barriers within cell boundaries. The phase and structural states of the as-cast Sm1-xZrx(Co0.702Cu0.088Fe0.210)z alloy sample with x = 0.13 and z = 6.4 are studied, and the presence of the above phases in the vicinity of the 1:5H phase was demonstrated

Micromagnetic Simulation of Increased Coercivity of (Sm, Zr)(Co, Fe, Cu)z Permanent Magnets

The finite element micromagnetic simulation is used to study the role of complex composition of 2:17R-cell boundaries in the realization of magnetization reversal processes of (Sm, Zr)(Co, Cu, Fe)z alloys intended for high-energy permanent magnets. A modified sandwich model is considered for the combinations of 2:7R/1:5H phase and 5:19R/1:5H phase layers as the 2:17R-cell boundaries in the alloy structure. The results of the simulation represented in the form of coercive force vs. total width of cell boundary showed the possibility of reaching the increased coercivity at the expense of 180&deg;-domain wall pinning at the additional barriers within cell boundaries. The phase and structural states of the as-cast Sm1-xZrx(Co0.702Cu0.088Fe0.210)z alloy sample with x = 0.13 and z = 6.4 are studied, and the presence of the above phases in the vicinity of the 1:5H phase was demonstrated

Blending powder process for recycling sintered Nd-Fe-B magnets

The wide application of Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets, in addition to rare-earth metal resource constraints, creates the necessity of the development of efficient technologies for recycling sintered Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets. In the present study, a magnet-to-magnet recycling process is considered. As starting materials, magnets of different grades were used, which were processed by hydrogen decrepitation and blending the powder with NdHx. Composition inhomogeneity in the Nd2Fe14B-based magnetic phase grains in the recycled magnets and the existence of a core-shell structure consisting of a Nd-rich (Dy-depleted) core and Nd-depleted (Dy-enriched) shell are demonstrated. The formation of this structure results from the grain boundary diffusion process of Dy that occurs during the sintering of magnets prepared from a mixture of Dy-free (N42) and Dy-containing magnets. The increase in the coercive force of the N42 magnet was shown to be 52%. The simultaneous retention of the remanence, and even its increase, were observed and explained by the improved isolation of the main magnetic phase grains as well as their alignment.Web of Science1314art. no. 304

Morphological peculiarities of R–Fe–B (R = Nd, Pr) alloys formed upon solidification by strip-casting

X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy are used to study the phase composition, texture, and peculiarities of the morphology of R-Fe-B (R = Nd, Pr, Dy) alloys prepared by strip-casting technology. Along with the traditional structural components of the alloys, namely, areas characterized by randomly oriented fine grains of the main magnetic phase with the Nd2Fe14B-type structure (which are formed near the contact surface of flakes) and coarse extended textured grains of the phase (in the volume of flakes), wide areas characterized by uniform distribution of rare-earth metal-rich phase with a period of 2-4 mu m were also found. The formation of these areas takes place in the absence of coarse dendritic crystallites and, according to the suggested mechanism, is related to the solidification of the melt under conditions of its motion upon quenching on a cooled cylindrical surface. Data indicating the melt twisting upon solidification, which favors the formation of the structure with the aforementioned distribution of intergranular phase, are reported. The data obtained are discussed from the viewpoint of their practical utility for the improvement of the structure of alloys prepared by strip-casting and powders for manufacturing Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets.Web of Science121878277