CALIPSO Observations of Transatlantic Dust: Vertical Stratification and Effect of Clouds

CALIOP nighttime measurements of lidar backscatter, color and depolarization ratios during the summer of 2007 are used to study transatlantic dust properties downwind of Saharan sources, and to examine the interaction of clouds and dust. We discuss the following findings: (1) while lidar backscatter doesn't change much with altitude in the Saharan Air Layer (SAL), depolarization and color ratios both increase with altitude in the SAL; (2) lidar backscatter and color ratio increase as dust is transported westward in the SAL; (3) the vertical lapse rate of dust depolarization ratio increases within SAL as plumes move westward; (4) nearby clouds barely affect the backscatter and color ratio of dust volumes within SAL but not so below SAL. Finally, (5) the odds of CALIOP finding dust below SAL next to clouds are about 2/3 of those far away from clouds. This feature, together with an apparent increase in depolarization ratio near clouds, indicates that particles in some dusty volumes lose asphericity in the humid air near clouds, and cannot be identified by CALIPSO as dust

The dynamics of the main epidemiological indicators among living in Moscow patients with diabetes mellitus (2013–2018)

BACKGROUND: State Register of Diabetes Mellitus (SRDM) plays an important role in the dynamic analysis of the epidemiological parameters that evaluate the disease itself and its complications, and also helps to analyze the quality of specialized medical care for patients. To solve modern scientific and practical problems, it is important to analyze data not only among the entire population of Russia, but also in large administrative-territorial subjects of the country. AIMS: To Study the dynamics of the main epidemiological indicators (values) among patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) living in Moscow for the period from 2013 to 2018 according to the State Register of Diabetes Mellitus (SRDM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The analysis of Moscow region of the SRDM database was conducted. According to it there were registered 345.1 thousand patients with diabetes by 01.01.2019. RESULTS: During the period from 2013 to 2018 the total number of patients with DM increased up 9.8% (from 314.4 thousand to 345.1 thousand people). DM2 accounts for 94% of the total number of patients. According to SRDM the prevalence of DM1 on 100 thousand population has grown up 6.9% (from 152.2 in 2013 to 162.7 in 2018); DM2 – by 9.6% (from 2864.7 in 2013 to 3139.4 in 2018). The incidence of DM1 per 100 thousand people decreased down to 6.4% (from 4.7 in 2013 to 4.4% in 2018); DM2 – grew up 4.3% (from 198.1 in 2002, to 206.6 in 2018). Throughout the study period the incidence of DM2 was higher among women, while the opposite trend was observed among women with DM1. The mortality among people with DM1 in 2018 was 1.6 per 100 thousand among adult population (in 2017 it was 1.7); among patients with DM2 the mortality was 56.6 people per 100 thousand among adult population (in 2017 it was 65.6). The first place among the direct causes of death among patients with DM1 and DM2 in 2018 was occupied by cardiovascular diseases (57.5% and 67.9%, respectively), the second place – oncological diseases (9.9% and 12.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the epidemiological analysis showed that since 2013 in Moscow there has been an increase in the prevalence of diabetes, against the background of stable indicators of incidence (except for the organizational period of adapting to the new online data entry system of SRDM). The leading causes of death of patients with diabetes are cardiovascular and oncological diseases

ОСОБЕННОСТИ ФОРМИРОВАНИЯ И ИСПОЛНЕНИЯ ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОГО БЮДЖЕТА В СФЕРЕ ОБОРОННО-ПРОМЫШЛЕННОГО КОМПЛЕКСА РОССИИ

Importance: The presented research topic is particularly relevant in terms of development of market relations inRussia, when indicated problems whose solution determines the positive results of reforming the economic system, an important place in which occupies the militaryindustrial complex (MIC). Among them special urgency are those that relate to the need to develop such economic relations that would ensure and guarantee the efficiency, competitiveness and sustainability of defense enterprises. In the new economic conditions, it became necessary to address the problems of financial security organizations, the military-industrial complex, the creation of an effective system to manage this process during the crisis and the need to find ways to stabilize the reproduction process inRussia. The conversion of potential military-economic opportunities in the real military power takes place on the basis of the functioning of the military economy that ensures the production and distribution of arms and military equipment. The war economy is responsible, on the one hand, the economic opportunities of the country, on the other – the nature and requirements of modern warfare. It is designed to ensure the maintenance of a constant high combat readiness of the armed forces and must be able to rapidly increase its power to the level required for the breakdown of military aggression. Problems of realization of military and economic potential are determined by the degree of use of the military and economic opportunities, as well as the effective use of financial resources.Objectives: The aim of the article is to analyze the problems of the formation and execution of defense spending. Objectives of the article: identify design characteristics of the defense component of the federal budget during the crisis of Economic Development. Methods: Methodological basis of this article are of economic and statistical methods of analysis.Results: Given that the management of the defense industry will be converted, you must use the positive experience of the international economic order to ensure the sustainability of their financial security. However, in the interests of the state and society to establish an efficient funding of defense enterprises requires a special approach for the following reasons: an effective system of financing of defense enterprises need to ensure the economic security of the country; establish a mechanism of redistribution of financial resources through economic transformation strengthens state control over the targeted use of funds; necessary, new approaches to the assessment and decision-making to improve the financial sustainability of defense enterprises. From a stable financial situation of the company and the development of DIC depends on the economy as a whole. The study gives reason to believe that at the present time inRussiaslowed down the pace of development of defense industry enterprises, has developed an unbalanced branch structure. In this regard, the study of problems related to the development of theoretical and practical tools for assessing the financial security of defense enterprises require special attention. The implementation of sound financial and economic policy, improving financial support to enterprises of the military-industrial complex of the state, identifying ways to improve the financial sustainability in transformation of the market economy is an objective necessity.Conclusions and Relevance: The practical significance of the work lies in the orientation of the provisions of the conclusions and recommendations of the work on the widespread use in improving the mechanism for defense and security, and the proposals contained in the article (to improve the planning and use of funds allocated from the state budget on defense) may be used by the legislative and executive bodies the Russian Federation, including the Ministry of Defence, in the current activity. Предмет / тема: Представленная тема исследования особенно актуальна в условиях развития рыночных отношений в России, когда обозначились проблемы, решение которых обуславливает положительные результаты реформирования экономической системы, важное место в которой занимает оборонно-промышленный комплекс (ОПК). Среди них особую актуальность приобретают те, которые связаны с необходимостью формирования таких экономических отношений, которые бы обеспечивали и гарантировали эффективное, конкурентоспособное и устойчивое развитие оборонных предприятий. В новых экономических условиях возникла необходимость решения проблем финансового обеспечения организаций оборонно-промышленного комплекса, создание эффективной системы управления этим процессом в кризисный период и необходимости поиска путей стабилизации воспроизводственного процесса в России. Превращение потенциальных военно-экономических возможностей в реальную военную мощь происходит на основе функционирования военной экономики, обеспечивающей производство и распределение вооружений и военной техники. Военная экономика отвечает, с одной стороны, экономическим возможностям страны, с другой – характеру и требованиям современной войны. Она призвана обеспечить поддержание постоянной высокой боеготовности вооруженных сил и должна быть способна быстро наращивать свою мощь до уровня, необходимого для срыва военной агрессии. Проблемы реализации военно-экономического потенциала определяются степенью использования военно-экономических возможностей, а также эффективностью использования финансовых ресурсов.Цель / задачи: Целью статьи является анализ проблем по формированию и исполнению расходов на оборону. Задачи статьи: выявить особенности исполнения оборонной составляющей федерального бюджета в кризисном периоде экономического развития РФ. Методология: Методической основой данной статьи являются экономико-статистические методы анализа. Результаты: Учитывая, что управления ОПК будут преобразованы, необходимо использовать положительный международный экономический опыт для обеспечения устойчивости их финансового обеспечения. Вместе с тем, в интересах государства и общества создание системы эффективного финансирования предприятий ОПК требует особого подхода в силу следующих причин: наличие эффективной системы финансирования предприятий ОПК необходимо для обеспечения экономической безопасности страны; создание механизма перераспределения финансовых ресурсов посредством экономического преобразования усиливает контроль государства за целевым использования финансовых средств; необходимы, новые подходы к оценке и принятию решений по усовершенствованию финансовой устойчивости предприятий ОПК. От стабильного финансового положения предприятия ОПК зависит и развитие экономики в целом. Проведенное исследование дает основание утверждать, что в настоящее время в России замедлились темпы развития предприятий ОПК, сложилась несбалансированная отраслевая структура. В связи с этим исследование проблем, связанных с разработкой инструментария теоретической и практической оценки финансового обеспечения предприятий ОПК требует повышенного внимания. Осуществление рациональной финансово-экономической политики, совершенствование финансовой поддержки предприятий оборонно-промышленного комплекса со стороны государства, определение путей повышения финансовой устойчивости в период трансформации рыночной экономики является объективной необходимостью.Выводы / значимость: Практическая значимость работы заключается в ориентации положений, выводов и рекомендаций работы на широкое использование при совершенствовании механизма обеспечения оборонной безопасности, а предложения, изложенные в статье (по совершенствованию системы планирования и использования средств, выделяемых из бюджета страны на оборону) могут использоваться законодательными и исполнительными органами Российской Федерации, в том числе и Министерством обороны, в текущей деятельности.

ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТЬ РАСПРЕДЕЛЕНИЯ БЮДЖЕТНЫХ СРЕДСТВ В СФЕРЕ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫХ ЗАКУПОК

This article deals with the problem of budget allocation in the state order inRussia. Assesses the effectiveness of the financial mechanism of the public procurement business entities, purchasing activities are regulated by Federal Law №44-FZ and №223-FZ. The dynamics of financing the procurement process and reveal its features by using the most common methods of procurement through competitive bidding and without bidding. Identifies the causes of inefficient spending budget as a result of the non-competitive procurement methods by certain categories of business entities. В статье раскрываются проблемы распределения бюджетных средств в сфере государственного заказа в России. Оценивается эффективность механизма финансирования государственных закупок хозяйствующих субъектов, закупочная деятельность которых регулируется Федеральными законами №44-ФЗ и №223-ФЗ. Рассматривается динамика финансирования закупочного процесса и раскрываются его особенности при использовании наиболее распространенных способов закупок на основе торгов и без проведения торгов. Выявляются причины возникновения неэффективных расходов бюджетных средств в результате применения неконкурентных способов закупок отдельными категориями хозяйствующих субъектов.

Synergistic Use of Remote Sensing and Modeling for Estimating Net Primary Productivity in the Red Sea With VGPM, Eppley-VGPM, and CbPM Models Intercomparison

Primary productivity (PP) has been recently investigated using remote sensing-based models over quite limited geographical areas of the Red Sea. This work sheds light on how phytoplankton and primary production would react to the effects of global warming in the extreme environment of the Red Sea and, hence, illuminates how similar regions may behave in the context of climate variability. study focuses on using satellite observations to conduct an intercomparison of three net primary production (NPP) models--the vertically generalized production model (VGPM), the Eppley-VGPM, and the carbon-based production model (CbPM)--produced over the Red Sea domain for the 1998-2018 time period. A detailed investigation is conducted using multilinear regression analysis, multivariate visualization, and moving averages correlative analysis to uncover the models\u27 responses to various climate factors. Here, we use the models\u27 eight-day composite and monthly averages compared with satellite-based variables, including chlorophyll-a (Chla), mixed layer depth (MLD), and sea-surface temperature (SST). Seasonal anomalies of NPP are analyzed against different climate indices, namely, the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation (NPGO), the multivariate ENSO Index (MEI), the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and the Dipole Mode Index (DMI). In our study, only the CbPM showed significant correlations with NPGO, MEI, and PDO, with disagreements relative to the other two NPP models. This can be attributed to the models\u27 connection to oceanographic and atmospheric parameters, as well as the trends in the southern Red Sea, thus calling for further validation efforts

Retrieving Aerosol Characteristics From the PACE Mission, Part 1: Ocean Color Instrument

NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Clouds, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite mission is scheduled to launch in 2022, with the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) on board. For the first time reflected sunlight from the Earth across a broad spectrum from the ultraviolet (UV: 350 nm) to the short wave infrared (SWIR: 2260 nm) will be measured from a single instrument at 1 km spatial resolution. While seven discrete bands will represent the SWIR, the spectrum from 350 to 890 nm will be continuously covered with a spectral resolution of 5 nm. OCI will thus combine in a single instrument (and at an enhanced spatial resolution for the UV) the heritage capabilities of the Moderate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), while covering the oxygen A-band (O2A). Designed for ocean color and ocean biology retrievals, OCI also enables continuation of heritage satellite aerosol products and the development of new aerosol characterization from space. In particular the combination of MODIS and OMI characteristics allows deriving aerosol height, absorption and optical depth along with a measure of particle size distribution. This is achieved by using the traditional MODIS visible-to-SWIR wavelengths to constrain spectral aerosol optical depth and particle size. Extrapolating this information to the UV channels allows retrieval of aerosol absorption and layer height. A more direct method to derive aerosol layer height makes use of O2A absorption methods, despite the relative coarseness of the nominal 5 nm spectral resolution of OCI. Altogether the PACE mission with OCI will be an unprecedented opportunity for aerosol characterization that will continue climate data records from the past decades and propel aerosol science forward toward new opportunities

Standard and increased canakinumab dosing to quiet macrophage activation syndrome in children with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis

ObjectiveMacrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a life-threatening, potentially fatal condition associated with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA). Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a key cytokine in the pathogenesis of sJIA MAS. Many cases of MAS are medically refractory to traditional doses of biologic cytokine inhibitors and may require increased dosing. When MAS occurs in the setting of sJIA treated with the IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), anakinra, increased anakinra dosing may be beneficial. Increased dosing of another IL-1 inhibitor, canakinumab, a monoclonal antibody to IL-1β, has not been reported to treat refractory MAS in the setting of sJIA.MethodsRetrospective data collection extracted from the electronic medical record focused on canakinumab usage and dosing in 8 children with sJIA who developed MAS at a single academic center from 2011 to 2020.ResultsEight sJIA children (five girls) with median age 8.5 years (range, 0.9–14.2 years) were included in the present study. Five children developed MAS at disease onset and three during ongoing canakinumab therapy. MAS resolved in all eight children with canakinumab treatment. When the canakinumab dosing was insufficient or MAS developed during canakinumab therapy, the dosing was temporally up-titrated (four patients, maximum 300 mg per dose) without observed side effects.ConclusionThis report provides evidence for the efficacy and safety of short-term increased doses (2–3-times normal) of canakinumab in treating sJIA associated MAS. Further study of the efficacy and safety of increased doses of canakinumab for treatment of MAS in children with sJIA is warranted

Advances in multiangle satellite remote sensing of speciated airborne particulate matter and association with adverse health effects: from MISR to MAIA

Inhalation of airborne particulate matter (PM) is associated with a variety of adverse health outcomes. However, the relative toxicity of specific PM types—mixtures of particles of varying sizes, shapes, and chemical compositions—is not well understood. A major impediment has been the sparse distribution of surface sensors, especially those measuring speciated PM. Aerosol remote sensing from Earth orbit offers the opportunity to improve our understanding of the health risks associated with different particle types and sources. The Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument aboard NASA’s Terra satellite has demonstrated the value of near-simultaneous observations of backscattered sunlight from multiple view angles for remote sensing of aerosol abundances and particle properties over land. The Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) instrument, currently in development, improves on MISR’s sensitivity to airborne particle composition by incorporating polarimetry and expanded spectral range. Spatiotemporal regression relationships generated using collocated surface monitor and chemical transport model data will be used to convert fractional aerosol optical depths retrieved from MAIA observations to near-surface PM_(10), PM_(2.5), and speciated PM_(2.5). Health scientists on the MAIA team will use the resulting exposure estimates over globally distributed target areas to investigate the association of particle species with population health effects