Russian oil and gas regions during the COVID-19 crisis and their digital transformation

Relevance. One of the key long-term strategic goals of Russia's economic development is to increase the share of the digital and green economy in the gross product of the country and its regions.  The recession caused by the pandemic has brought to the forefront the challenges of digitalization in the country's oil and gas sector, which was among the hardest hit sectors, and thus required significant effort on the part of regional governments.Research objective. This research aims to demonstrate the key role played by digitalization and environmentalization in the recovery of the Russian oil and gas regions from the pandemic.Data and methods. The study provides an overview of the Russian and international research literature on the ways to foster economic recovery and growth after the COVID-19 pandemic, including the publications of the United Nations and the World Economic Forum. Methodologically, the study relies on the empirical, general scientific methods and methods of economic statistics. We used in our calculations the data from the open-access statistical yearbook 'Russian Regions' published by Rosstat.Results The study analyzed the challenges of digitalization faced by Russian oil and gas regions to show the need for institutional transformations on the national level. We also formulated some recommendations for the improvement of the evaluation of regional governments' digitalization efforts in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the more general evaluation of the digital transformation of regional economies.Conclusions To stimulate economic growth of Russian oil and gas regions recovering from the pandemic, a viable strategy would be to place a greater emphasis on their sustainable and digital development. In the international rankings such as the EDGI Ranking presented  annually by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), Russia occupies a high position in terms of e-government services and digitalization in other spheres. Nevertheless, as far as the Russian oil and gas regions are concerned, there are considerable disparities in terms of digitalization. To accelerate digital transformation, we would highly recommend to improve the methods of evaluation of the digital progress in regional government, especially to include a set of indicators characterising regional governments' responses to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic

Mapping resistance to the bird cherry-oat aphid and the greenbug in wheat using sequence-based genotyping

Citation: Crespo-Herrera, L. A., Akhunov, E., Garkava-Gustavsson, L., Jordan, K. W., Smith, C. M., Singh, R. P., & Åhman, I. (2014). Mapping resistance to the bird cherry-oat aphid and the greenbug in wheat using sequence-based genotyping. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 127(9), 1963-1973.The aphids Rhopalosiphum padi and Schizaphis graminum are important pests of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Characterization of the genetic bases of resistance sources is crucial to facilitate the development of resistant wheat cultivars to these insects. We examined 140 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from the cross of the susceptible wheat Seri M82 with the synthetic hexaploid wheat CWI76364, resistant to both aphid species. The RILs were phenotyped for R. padi antibiosis and tolerance traits. Phenotyping of S. graminum resistance was based on leaf chlorosis in a greenhouse screening, and also on the number of S. graminum per tiller in a field trial. Seedling pubescence was scored in each RIL. Using a sequence-based genotyping method we located genomic regions associated to these resistance traits. One QTL for R. padi antibiosis was found in chromosome 4BL; it explained 10.2% of phenotypic variation and was located 14.6 cM apart from the pubescence locus. However, we did not find any association between plant pubescence and the other resistance traits. We found two QTLs for tolerance to R. padi in chromosomes 5AL and 5BL, with an epistatic interaction between a locus in chromosome 3AL and the tolerance QTL in 5AL. These genomic regions together explained about 35% of the phenotypic variation. We confirmed the location of a previously reported gene for S. graminum resistance (Gba) in 7DL and found an additional, novel QTL associated with the number of aphids per tiller in chromosome 2DL. This is the first report where resistance to R. padi in wheat is mapped and also where chromosome 2DL shown to be associated with S. graminum resistance

Microlensing in the double quasar SBS1520+530

We present the results of a monitoring campaign of the double quasar SBS1520+530 at Maidanak observatory from April 2003 to August 2004. We obtained light curves in V and R filters that show small-amplitude \Delta m~0.1 mag intrinsic variations of the quasar on time scales of about 100 days. The data set is consistent with the previously determined time delay of \Delta t=(130+-3) days by Burud et al. (2002). We find that the time delay corrected magnitude difference between the quasar images is now larger by (0.14+-0.03) mag than during the observations by Burud et al. (2002). This confirms the presence of gravitational microlensing variations in this system.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in A&

Российские нефтегазовые регионы в период коронакризиса и их цифровая трансформация

Received July 10, 2021; accepted September 2, 2021.Дата поступления 10 июля 2021 г.; дата принятия к печати 2 сентября 2021 г.Relevance. One of the key long-term strategic goals of Russia’s economic development is to increase the share of the digital and green economy in the gross product of the country and its regions. The recession caused by the pandemic has brought to the forefront the challenges of digitalization in the country’s oil and gas sector, which was among the hardest hit sectors, and thus required significant effort on the part of regional governments. Data and methods. The study provides an overview of the Russian and international research literature on the ways to foster economic recovery and growth after the COVID-19 pandemic, including the publications of the United Nations and the World Economic Forum. Methodologically, the study relies on the empirical, general scientific methods and methods of economic statistics. We used in our calculations the data from the open-access statistical yearbook ‘Russian Regions’ published by Rosstat. Results The study analyzed the challenges of digitalization faced by Russian oil and gas regions to show the need for institutional transformations on the national level. We also formulated some recommendations for the improvement of the evaluation of regional governments’ digitalization efforts in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the more general evaluation of the digital transformation of regional economies. Conclusions To stimulate economic growth of Russian oil and gas regions recovering from the pandemic, a viable strategy would be to place a greater emphasis on their sustainable and digital development. In the international rankings such as the EDGI Ranking presented annually by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), Russia occupies a high position in terms of e-government services and digitalization in other spheres. Nevertheless, as far as the Russian oil and gas regions are concerned, there are considerable disparities in terms of digitalization. To accelerate digital transformation, we would highly recommend to improve the methods of evaluation of the digital progress in regional government, especially to include a set of indicators characterising regional governments’ responses to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.Актуальность. Одной из стратегических целей экономического развития Российской Федерации в долгосрочной перспективе является повышение доли цифровой и «зелёной» экономики в валовом продукте страны и её регионов. Экономический спад, вызванный пандемией новой коронавирусной инфекции COVID-19, актуализирует задачи цифровизации нефтегазовых отраслей российской экономики как одних из наиболее пострадавших, тем самым предъявляя вызовы региональным органам государственной власти и управления. Данные и методы. Для проведения исследования были использованы и проанализированы российские и зарубежные работы по теме преодоления последствий мирового кризиса, вызванного пандемией новой коронавирусной инфекции COVID-19, в том числе публикации Организации Объединенных Наций и Всемирного экономического форума. В работе были использованы эмпирические, общенаучные и экономико-статистические методы исследования. Аналитические расчеты проведены по материалам статистического сборника «Регионы России», находящегося в открытом доступе на официальном сайте Росстата. Результаты. В рамках исследования был произведен анализ проблем цифровизации, стоящих перед нефтегазовыми регионами. Обоснована необходимость институциональных преобразований на государственном уровне. Даны рекомендации по совершенствованию систем оценки цифровизации региональных правительств в условиях преодоления кризиса, вызванного пандемией COVID-19, и региональных экономик в целом. Выводы. Для стимулирования экономического роста российских нефтегазовых регионов, восстанавливающихся после пандемии, необходимо сделать больший упор на их устойчивое и цифровое развитие. В международных рейтингах, таких как рейтинг EDGI, ежегодно представляемый Департаментом по экономическим и социальным вопросам ООН (ДЭСВ ООН), Россия занимает высокие позиции касательно электронного правительства и цифровизации в других сферах. Тем не менее, в российских нефтегазовых регионах существуют значительные различия в плане цифровизации. Чтобы ускорить цифровую трансформацию, мы настоятельно рекомендуем улучшить методы оценки цифрового прогресса в региональных органах власти, в особенности включить набор показателей, характеризующих реакцию региональных правительств на вызовы, создаваемые пандемией COVID-19.The research was conducted in execution of the state assignment of the Ministry of Science and Education of the Russian Federation given to the Ufa Federal Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences (UFRC RAS).Статья подготовлена в рамках выполнения плана НИР УФИЦ РАН по государственному заданию Министерства науки и высшего образования РФ

Time delays in PG1115+080: new estimates

We report new estimates of the time delays in the quadruple gravitationally lensed quasar PG1115+080, obtained from the monitoring data in filter R with the 1.5-m telescope at the Maidanak Mountain (Uzbekistan, Central Asia) in 2004-2006. The time delays are 16.4 days between images C and B, and 12 days between C and A1+A2, with image C being leading for both pairs. The only known estimates of the time delays in PG1115 are those based on observations by Schechter et al. (1997) -- 23.7 and 9.4 days between images C and B, C and A1+A2, respectively, as calculated by Schechter et al., and 25 and 13.3 days as revised by Barkana (1997) for the same image components with the use of another method. The new values of time delays in PG 1115+080 may be expected to provide larger estimates of the Hubble constant thus decreasing a diversity between the H_0 estimates taken from gravitationally lensed quasars and with other methods.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, Accepted for publication in MNRAS Letter

PG 1115+080: variations of the A2/A1 flux ratio and new values of the time delays

We report the results of our multicolor observations of PG 1115+080 with the 1.5-m telescope of the Maidanak Observatory (Uzbekistan, Central Asia) in 2001-2006. Monitoring data in filter R spanning the 2004, 2005 and 2006 seasons (76 data points) demonstrate distinct brightness variations of the source quasar with the total amplitude of almost 0.4 mag. Our R light curves have shown image C leading B by 16.4d and image (A1+A2) by 12d that is inconsistent with the previous estimates obtained by Schechter et al. in 1997 - 24.7d between B and C and 9.4d between (A1+A2) and C. The new values of time delays in PG 1115+080 must result in larger values for the Hubble constant, thus reducing difference between its estimates taken from the gravitational lenses and with other methods. Also, we analyzed variability of the A2/A1 flux ratio, as well as color changes in the archetypal "fold" lens PG 1115+080. We found the A1/A2 flux ratio to grow during 2001-2006 and to be larger at longer wavelengths. In particular, the A2/A1 flux ratio reached 0.85 in filter I in 2006. We also present evidence that both the A1 and A2 images might have undergone microlensing during 2001-2006, with the descending phase for A1 and initial phase for A2. We find that the A2/A1 flux ratio anomaly in PG 1115 can be well explained both by microlensing and by finite distance of the source quasar from the caustic fold.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, 8 tables, Accepted for publication in MNRA

Genome wide association mapping for arabinoxylan content in a collection of tetraploid wheats

BACKGROUND: Arabinoxylans (AXs) are major components of plant cell walls in bread wheat and are important in bread-making and starch extraction. Furthermore, arabinoxylans are components of soluble dietary fibre that has potential health-promoting effects in human nutrition. Despite their high value for human health, few studies have been carried out on the genetics of AX content in durum wheat. RESULTS: The genetic variability of AX content was investigated in a set of 104 tetraploid wheat genotypes and regions attributable to AX content were identified through a genome wide association study (GWAS). The amount of arabinoxylan, expressed as percentage (w/w) of the dry weight of the kernel, ranged from 1.8% to 5.5% with a mean value of 4.0%. The GWAS revealed a total of 37 significant marker-trait associations (MTA), identifying 19 quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with AX content. The highest number of MTAs was identified on chromosome 5A (seven), where three QTL regions were associated with AX content, while the lowest number of MTAs was detected on chromosomes 2B and 4B, where only one MTA identified a single locus. Conservation of synteny between SNP marker sequences and the annotated genes and proteins in Brachypodium distachyon, Oryza sativa and Sorghum bicolor allowed the identification of nine QTL coincident with candidate genes. These included a glycosyl hydrolase GH35, which encodes Gal7 and a glucosyltransferase GT31 on chromosome 1A; a cluster of GT1 genes on chromosome 2B that includes TaUGT1 and cisZog1; a glycosyl hydrolase that encodes a CelC gene on chromosome 3A; Ugt12887 and TaUGT1genes on chromosome 5A; a (1,3)-β-D-glucan synthase (Gsl12 gene) and a glucosyl hydrolase (Cel8 gene) on chromosome 7A. CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies significant MTAs for the AX content in the grain of tetraploid wheat genotypes. We propose that these may be used for molecular breeding of durum wheat varieties with higher soluble fibre content.Ilaria Marcotuli, Kelly Houston, Robbie Waugh, Geoffrey B. Fincher, Rachel A. Burton, Antonio Blanco, Agata Gadalet

A PSTOL-like gene, TaPSTOL, controls a number of agronomically important traits in wheat

Background Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient for plant growth, and is required in large quantities by elite varieties of crops to maintain yields. Approximately 70% of global cultivated land suffers from P deficiency, and it has recently been estimated that worldwide P resources will be exhausted by the end of this century, increasing the demand for crops more efficient in their P usage. A greater understanding of how plants are able to maintain yield with lower P inputs is, therefore, highly desirable to both breeders and farmers. Here, we clone the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) homologue of the rice PSTOL gene (OsPSTOL), and characterize its role in phosphate nutrition plus other agronomically important traits. Results TaPSTOL is a single copy gene located on the short arm of chromosome 5A, encoding a putative kinase protein, and shares a high level of sequence similarity to OsPSTOL. We re-sequenced TaPSTOL from 24 different wheat accessions and (3) three T. durum varieties. No sequence differences were detected in 26 of the accessions, whereas two indels were identified in the promoter region of one of the durum wheats. We characterised the expression of TaPSTOL under different P concentrations and demonstrated that the promoter was induced in root tips and hairs under P limiting conditions. Overexpression and RNAi silencing of TaPSTOL in transgenic wheat lines showed that there was a significant effect upon root biomass, flowering time independent of P treatment, tiller number and seed yield, correlating with the expression of TaPSTOL. However this did not increase PUE as elevated P concentration in the grain did not correspond to increased yields. Conclusions Manipulation of TaPSTOL expression in wheat shows it is responsible for many of the previously described phenotypic advantages as OsPSTOL except yield. Furthermore, we show TaPSTOL contributes to additional agronomically important traits including flowering time and grain size. Analysis of TaPSTOL sequences from a broad selection of wheat varieties, encompassing 91% of the genetic diversity in UK bread wheat, showed that there is very little genetic variation in this gene, which would suggest that this locus may have been under high selection pressure

High level of conservation between genes coding for the GAMYB transcription factor in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) collections

The transcription factor GAMYB is involved in gibberellin signalling in cereal aleurone cells and in plant developmental processes. Nucleotide diversity of HvGAMYB and TaGAMYB was investigated in 155 barley (Hordeum vulgare) and 42 wheat (Triticum aestivum) accessions, respectively. Polymorphisms defined 18 haplotypes in the barley collection and 1, 7 and 3 haplotypes for the A, B, and D genomes of wheat, respectively. We found that (1) Hv- and TaGAMYB genes have identical structures. (2) Both genes show a high level of nucleotide identity (>95%) in the coding sequences and the distribution of polymorphisms is similar in both collections. At the protein level the functional domain is identical in both species. (3) GAMYB genes map to a syntenic position on chromosome 3. GAMYB genes are different in both collections with respect to the Tajima D statistic and linkage disequilibrium (LD). A moderate level of LD was observed in the barley collection. In wheat, LD is absolute between polymorphic sites, mostly located in the first intron, while it decays within the gene. Differences in Tajima D values might be due to a lower selection pressure on HvGAMYB, compared to its wheat orthologue. Altogether our results provide evidence that there have been only few evolutionary changes in Hv- and TaGAMYB. This confirms the close relationship between these species and also highlights the functional importance of this transcription factor

A haplotype map of allohexaploid wheat reveals distinct patterns of selection on homoeologous genomes

BACKGROUND: Bread wheat is an allopolyploid species with a large, highly repetitive genome. To investigate the impact of selection on variants distributed among homoeologous wheat genomes and to build a foundation for understanding genotype-phenotype relationships, we performed population-scale re-sequencing of a diverse panel of wheat lines. RESULTS: A sample of 62 diverse lines was re-sequenced using the whole exome capture and genotyping-by-sequencing approaches. We describe the allele frequency, functional significance, and chromosomal distribution of 1.57 million single nucleotide polymorphisms and 161,719 small indels. Our results suggest that duplicated homoeologous genes are under purifying selection. We find contrasting patterns of variation and inter-variant associations among wheat genomes; this, in addition to demographic factors, could be explained by differences in the effect of directional selection on duplicated homoeologs. Only a small fraction of the homoeologous regions harboring selected variants overlapped among the wheat genomes in any given wheat line. These selected regions are enriched for loci associated with agronomic traits detected in genome-wide association studies. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence suggests that directional selection in allopolyploids rarely acted on multiple parallel advantageous mutations across homoeologous regions, likely indicating that a fitness benefit could be obtained by a mutation at any one of the homoeologs. Additional advantageous variants in other homoelogs probably either contributed little benefit, or were unavailable in populations subjected to directional selection. We hypothesize that allopolyploidy may have increased the likelihood of beneficial allele recovery by broadening the set of possible selection targets