Economic assessment and strategic potential of agro industries : the case of sugar industry

Current economic activity in the beet sugar industry is below its highest point, and this encourages to search for and to shape specific development strategies. This article analyses the current state of Russian sugar markets, domestically and internationally. The investigation over the strategic potential of effective beet sugar sub-complex development has involved 78 large agricultural enterprises and 59 peasant farms of the Republic of Bashkortostan. By total production output, sugar beet producers are classified into several groups. The first group, which is the highest, includes 10 backbone strategic enterprises, which can produce 897.9 thousand tons of sugar beet. The second group includes 19 enterprises and produces 442.5 thousand tons of sugar beet. The third group, not a priority group, includes 43 enterprises (333.3 thousand tons). A similar classificationt was done for peasant farms. From the assessment encompassing the strategic potential of sugar beet industry certain scenarios have been considered such as: business-as-usual (72.2%), extensive growth (83.3%), intensive growth (100.0%) and hybrid growth (122.2%). These scenarios were composed to forecast the production target achievements. Forecasts were made using a model of strategic development of beet sugar sub-complex of the Republic of Bashkortostan, for the period until 2020. The approach developed in this article is recommended to be used as a guideline in developing long-term regional programs for agriculture development. It can be also addressed to adjust some measures that are being taken under the launched programs.peer-reviewe

Monitoring of compressed air losses in branched air flow networks of mining enterprises

Compressed air as a type of safe technological energy carrier is widely used in many industries. In economically developed countries energy costs for the production and distribution of compressed air reach 10 % of the total energy costs. The analysis of compressed air production and distribution systems in the industrial sector shows that the efficiency of the systems is at a relatively low level. This is due to the fact that insufficient attention is paid to these systems since the compressed air systems energy monitoring has certain difficulties – the presence of complex and branched air pipeline networks with unique characteristics; low sensitivity of the equipment which consumes compressed air; the complexity of auditing pneumatic equipment that is in constant operation. The article analyzes the options for reducing the cost of production and compressed air distribution. One of the promising ways to reduce the compressed air distribution cost is timely detection and elimination of leaks that occur in the external air supply network of the enterprise. The task is solved by hardware-software monitoring of compressed air pressure at key points in the network. The proposed method allows real-time detecting of emerging air leaks in the air duct network and sending commands to maintenance personnel for their timely localization. This technique was tested in the industrial conditions of ALROSA enterprises on the air pipeline network of the Mir mine of the Mirninsky Mining and Processing Plant and showed satisfactory convergence of the calculated leakage values ​​with the actual ones. The practical significance of the obtained results is that the developed method for monitoring air leaks in the air duct network is simple, it requires an uncomplicated software implementation and allows to localize leaks in a timely manner, thereby reducing unproductive energy costs at the enterprises

The Fluorescein Angiographic Signs of Aggressive Posterior Retinopathy of Prematurity

The purpose is to study the fluorescence angiographic signs of posterior aggressive retinopathy of prematurity. Patients and methods. A prospective study of 83 infants with aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity (APROP), who were on treatment in the neonatal center in 2012–2018 years. Gestational age was between 22 and 30 weeks. Depending on the diagnostic methods, patients were divided into two groups: 1 (main) — 51 (61.4 %) children who, in addition to standard ophthalmic examination methods, received 132 series of FA using a pediatric retinal camera RetCam3; 2 (control) — 32 (38.6 %) children without FA. After the procedure, the somatic state of the child was monitored for 24 hours for the registration of drug dye side effects. Results. Angiographic predictors of the disease and objective signs of APROP manifestation were presented in group 1 children a week earlier than in the group 2. This made laser treatment possible on 2.0 ± 0.5 weeks earlier in the group 1 (32.8 ± 1.2 weeks) compared to group 2 (34.8 ± 1.7 weeks) (p < 0.05) and to increase its efficiency by 8.2 % (86.3 and 78.1 % respectively). Conclusion. Comparative analysis of angiograms and color fundus images obtained with RetCam3 in the studied groups of children demonstrates the advantages and safety FA for the detection angiographic predictors of APROP, early objective signs of disease manifestation, it provides timely and effective laser treatment of complicated categories of very premature infants