Dynamic Analysis of the Behavioural Patterns of the Largest Commercial Banks in the Russian Federation

This paper presents a pattern behavio ral analysis of 100 largest Russian commercial banks by total assets during an eight- year period: from the first quarter of 1999 to the second quarter of 2007. Bank performance indicators are analyzed. Structural similarities in the development of the banks are examined. A cluster analysis is applied to determine banks with a similar structure of operations. This analysis allows to estimate how the structure of the Russian banking system has been changing over time. In particular, it allows to identify prevailing patterns in the behavior of Russian commercial banks and to analyze the stability of their position in a particular pattern.Bank, dynamic pattern analysis, cluster analysis

Peculiarities of children-parental relationships and family factors of social risk that affect formation of dependent behaviour in children and adolescents

The research aim was to determine the characteristics of child-parental relations and the psychological climate in the school community, depending on the socio-economic situation in the area, where the teenager and his family live. Sample group consisted of 156 teenagers (11-15 years), 43 percent of them live in districts with a high rate of unemployment. As the leading methods, the authors used the following: «Child-parental relations of adolescents»; «Diagnosis of the psychological climate in the team (group)»; «A modified version of the methodological complex to identify probabilistic predictors of possible involvement in the consumption of narcotic drugs». These methods made it possible to investigate intra-family interaction, study the features of the psychological climate in the school team, and identify probabilistic predictors of the formation of dependent behaviour in a teenager. The comparative analysis of researched parameters depending on the area of residing by U-criterion by Mann –Whitney has shown, that there are significant differences in parameters: «Autonomy encouragement», «Control», «Varieties of encouragements» (studying of aspect «Children-parental relationships of adolescents»); «Friendliness», «Consent», «Satisfaction», «Efficiency», «Affection», «Cooperation», «Mutual support», «Enthusiasm», «Entertaining», «Success» (studying of aspect « Diagnostics of psychological climate in a community (group)»).Thus, it is possible to make a conclusion that psychological situation is better in classes and in families of adolescents living in areas with a low rate of unemployment. There are no authentic differences in technique parameters on revealing of probable predictors of adolescents involving in drug usage, but in areas with a low rate of unemployment parameters «Addiction to gadget-dependence» and «Problem of self-control» are higher within boys. The scientific novelty of this study consists in the analysis (study) of child-parental relations in families of adolescents living in regions of Tatarstan with different levels of unemployment, which confirmed that the economic situation of the region has an impact on child-parental relations and on the situation in the school team. The study made it possible to consider the current problem of dependent behaviour of adolescents in the context of the deterioration of the socio-economic status of the family, accompanied by crisis, disharmonic inter-parent and child-parental relations.The work is performed according to the Russian Government Program of Competitive Growth of Kazan Federal University

Testing of speaking skills and training for professional communication in Czech

В статье раскрываются общие принципы тестирования устной речи на сертификационном экзамене по чешскому языку и особенности подготовки к устной части на уровне В2, поскольку именно этот уровень владения языком является необходимым для реализации в профессиональной сфере или получения высшего образования в Чешской республике. Анализируется влияние на качество ответа таких факторов, как сложность чешской языковой ситуации, культурная традиция родной страны и индивидуальные психологические характеристики тестируемого.The Common European Framework (CEF) is a key instrument for establishing European educational space in the field of modern languages. The paper deal with problematic questions of control and evaluation of speaking skills. It focuses on oral testing according to CEF//SERR (Společný evropský referenční rámec pro jazyky). The author describes in details the level B2. New programs of language teaching help students to improve their knowledge of the Czech language and become competitive at the European labor market

Comparison of early reactions of the blood system in rats to immobilization, the action of hypoxia and the administration of erythopoietin

Three series of experiments were simultaneously carried on rats with the purpose of studying the action of different stimulants on the blood system; rats were subjected to immobilization, hypoxic hypoxia and erythropoietin administration. Changes in various cellular forms in the bone marrow, the thymus and the spleen were studied. A unitypical reaction, as in stress, was noted during the first hours; a reduction of the cell count in the lymphoid organs, a reduction of granulocytes and an increase of lymphoid cells in the bone marrow. The differences were chiefly quantitative. This was followed by stimulation of myelo and erythropoiesis determined by the specific features of the action applied. Nonspecific blood reaction was apparently due to activation of the adaptation mechanisms

Abundance - A new window on how disruptive innovation occurs

The economic philosophy of abundance has provided a new portal to view disruptive innovation. After decades of the world's middle class shrinking and the poor becoming poorer the abundance concept has created an interest in the "Rising Billion" transforming the poor into a more viable economic force and grow a worldwide vibrant middle class throughout the developed, developing and underdeveloped world. The abundance concept provides a new set of potential problems that are spurring new opportunities. The 21st century grand challenges have been enumerated by many but include at least six key basic human necessities: healthcare; water, education; food generation, energy, and the environment. The key to "Abundance" is to better understand the disruptive innovation phenomena, and how it can be used for social change. Scholars have utilized different perspectives to explain innovation phenomenon, but literature on disruptive innovation can benefit from a coherent theoretical framework that can explain origins of disruptive innovation and the role of scarcity/abundance in that process. In this paper, we provide one such theoretical framework to better explain and understand the relationship among scarcity, abundance, and innovation concepts from a market perspective. More specifically, this paper address the need to understand how radical or disruptive innovations occur to create a more abundant world and what market conditions motivates innovators, especially in communities enduring poverty and scarcity of resources such as the "Bottom Billion" and the shrinking middle class to do so. We build a theoretical model of disruptive innovation in a resource-constrained environment by integrating arguments from the theory of social capital, disruptive innovation and entrepreneurial action, and social innovation

Protection of the Rights of Parties to a Construction Contract Under the Laws of Singapore and Thailand

The institute of protection of rights of construction contractors and customers under the legislation of the Republic of Singapore and the Kingdom of Thailand is considered.   The purpose of the article is a comparative legal analysis of the ways of protection of the rights of parties to construction contracts in these states.   The article presents a comprehensive view at this issue from a legal point of view. The normative basis for regulating the construction industry in Singapore and Thailand includes Civil codes and special legal acts (construction laws, by-laws of ministries and departments). Protection of rights includes measures of responsibility, measures of protection, measures of operational influence and measures of self-defense. Such methods of protection as reco very of liquidated damages, unjust enrichment, special contractual clauses, suspension of fulfillment of obligations and others are analyzed. It is noted that recovery of liquidated damages is a common method of protection of rights in foreign countries. However, this method is not typical for the Russian Federation. Unjust enrichment and restitution are considered equivalent and interrelated concepts applied in various relations, including construction. Self-protection measures include the inclusion of various clauses in construction contracts, suspension of fulfilment of obligations. The parties have the right to stipulate in the contract a condition of exclusion or limitation of liability, if such a condition is not prohibited by law. In the states in question, the rights of construction clients and contractors may be protected through various bodies. Most often construction disputes are resolved in courts or in arbitration. It is concluded that the legal regulation of protection of the rights of the parties to a construction contract in these states was formed under the influence of both continental and Anglo-Saxon legal families. At the same time, these countries have their own customs and traditions, that are unique and original. Based on the conducted research, a proposal for reforming the current civil legislation of the Russian Federation in terms of protection of the rights of construction contractors has been formulated

Pharmacological correction of endothelial dysfunction using ademethionin and taurine

It is noted that ademethionine and taurine have an endothelioprotective effect because of their ability to decrease hyperhomocysteinemia The investigated drugs showed pronounced endothelioprotective activity and can be recommended for further pre-clinical studie

Sex specificity in innate immunity of insect larvae

The innate immunity of insects has been widely studied. Although the effect of sex on insect immunity has been extensively discussed, differences in immunity between the sexes of larvae insects remain largely unstudied. Studying larval sex differences in immunity may provide valuable information about the mechanisms underlying the insect immune system, which, in turn, can be valuable for the development and improvement of pest management. Here we compared the antibacterial activity in both the midgut tissue and cell-free hemolymph of Lymantria dispar L. (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) females and males at the larval stage without and after a challenge by entomopathogenic bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner. We also evaluated the sex-specific mortality of L. dispar induced by B. thuringiensis infection. We find that antibacterial activity in the midgut is activated by infection, but only in females. Thus, sex differences in immunity can have important effects even before sexual differentiation at adulthood

Оriginal arab culture in Israel

The article discusses the controversial situation in which Arab culture exists and develops in modern Israel. In particular, special attention is paid to the fact that the Arab population in Israeli society has its own distinctive cultural characteristics, national identity, which differs from that of Israel