Transparency and its manifestations in Russian media discourse: a case study of HC traktor

The article explores the manifestations of transparency related to the Russian political management in 2018–2019. A discursive analysis included the media materials covering the decision by Chelyabinsk (the seventh largest city in Russia) regional authorities, without public discussion, to allocate significant funds from the city budget to support HC Traktor. The public discussion of this issue was widely reflected in the media. Civic activists accessed official online documents concerning the participatory financing and initiated an online dialogue with the authorities, disagreeing with their decisions, offering alternatives, and suggesting that internal political management be made more public. The study systematizes various aspects of transparency: openness, availability, clarity, democracy, visibility and accountability. Since new media and social networks play a key role in the interaction between the state authorities and public, the paper considers all the structural elements of modern media communication: addressees, target audience, channels of information, the content and form of publications, their perlocutionary effect. The results of our study proved that communicative success was reached by breaking language standards, polycode information delivery, and storytelling techniques. The perlocutionary effect of this transparent media communication was difficult and deferred. The public dialogue did not satisfy the initial public demand, but it did influence the management practices (further reflected in Russia’s federal legislation) and accompanied changes in the composition of regional elites

Роль гериатрического скрининга G8 в прогнозировании осложнений лекарственной противоопухолевой терапии у пожилых пациентов

Introduction: The G8 Score is an important tool for geriatric assessment in current oncology practice. The G8 Score is applied as a prescreening method for selection of patients who need comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA); however, this questionnaire has not been validated in Russia.Study goal: To evaluate the reliability and predictive role of the Russian version of the G8 Score in evaluating the risk of complications of systemic antitumor therapy in elderly patients.Materials and methods: The authors conducted a prospective non‑randomized study in elderly patients (≥ 65 years old) who received systemic antitumor therapy. All patients were screened using the Russian version of the G8 Score. Cases of adverse events during treatment (toxicity) and treatment discontinuation were analyzed. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the specificity and sensitivity of the Russian version of the G8 Score as a predictor of complications and complication‑associated events (treatment discontinuation) in cancer patients in Russia. The reliability of the Russian version of the G8 Score was also assessed using Cronbach»s alpha coefficient of internal consistency.Results: The data of 133 cancer patients (57,1 % and 42,9 % of whom were female and male, respectively) with a mean age of 72,1 y. o. were analyzed using the Russian version of the G8 Score. The study demonstrated a satisfactory predictive ability of the tool in terms of prognosis of general toxicity, including hematologic and non‑hematologic toxicity, with the area under the curve (AUC) being 0,621 [95 % CI: 0,524–0,717]. The cut‑off value of the G8 Score was 13,5; sensitivity (Se) = 71 %, specificity (Sp) = 54 %. The characteristics of the positive and negative predictive values of the G8 Score were similar. The data on the predictive role of the Russian version of the G8 Score in terms of prognosis of toxicity‑related treatment discontinuation were not statistically significant (p > 0,05). The internal consistency of the Russian version of the G8 Score was demonstrated to be acceptable, with Cronbach»s alpha coefficient of 0,709 and split‑half values of α1 = 0,558 and α2 = 0,432. The results of the study indicated a satisfactory reliability of the Russian version of the G8 Score.Conclusion: The Russian version of the G8 Score is a reliable tool that can be used as a possible predictor of toxicity of antitumor drug therapy and a useful tool for the selection of patients for comprehensive geriatric assessment.Введение: Шкала G8 является важным инструментом гериатрической оценки в современной онкологии. В практике G8 используется как прескрининговый метод для отбора пациентов, нуждающихся в комплексном гериатрическом исследовании (CGA), однако в России опросник не валидирован.Цель: оценка надежности и предиктивной роли русской версии шкалы G8 в оценке вероятности развития осложнений системной противоопухолевой терапии у пациентов старшего возраста.Материалы и методы: Авторами проведено проспективное нерандомизированное исследование с участием пациентов старшей возрастной группы (65 лет и более), получающих системную противоопухолевую терапию. Все пациенты были оценены с использованием русской версии шкалы G8. В ходе лечения оценивались нежелательные побочные явления (токсичность), а также регистрировались случаи прекращения лечения, связанные с токсичностью. С помощью ROC анализа на основании расчета площади под кривой (AUC) была оценена чувствительность и специфичность русской версии шкалы G8 в качестве предиктора развития осложнений и ассоциированных с ними событий (прекращение лечения) в отечественной популяции онкологических пациентов. Также оценивали надежность русской версии G8 на основании анализа внутреннего постоянства инструмента с помощью расчета коэффициента Кронбаха-α.Результаты: Проанализированы результаты анализа данных 133 онкологических пациентов (57,1 % — женщины, 42,9 % — мужчины; средний возраст — 72,1 года) на основании русской версии шкалы G8. Продемонстрирована удовлетворительная информативность инструмента в отношении прогнозирования развития общей токсичности, включая гематологическую и негематологическую токсичность: площадь под кривой (AUC) = 0,621 [95 %ДИ: 0,524–0,717]. Пороговое значение по G8–13,5; чувствительность инструмента (Se) = 71 %, специфичность (Sp) = 54 %. Характеристики положительной и отрицательной прогностической значимости шкалы G8 сходны. Информативность русской версии G8 в отношении прогнозирования отмены лечения вследствие токсичности не была подкреплена статистически значимыми результатами (p > 0,05). Продемонстрировано приемлемое внутреннее постоянство русской версии шкалы G8: величина α-Кронбаха = 0,709; величина α-Кронбаха при split-half расщеплении: α1 = 0,558, α2 = 0,432. Полученные данные свидетельствуют об удовлетворительной надежности русской версии опросника G8.Выводы: Русская версия опросника G8 является надежным инструментом, который может рассматриваться в качестве одного из возможных предикторов ожидаемой токсичности при проведении противоопухолевой лекарственной терапии, а также позволяет выявить группу пациентов для отбора на комплексное гериатрическое исследование

УСТОЙЧИВОЕ РАЗВИТИЕ РОССИЙСКОЙ ЭКОНОМИКИ: СОВЕРШЕНСТВОВАНИЕ ДЕНЕЖНО-КРЕДИТНОЙ, ВАЛЮТНОЙ И БЮДЖЕТНО-НАЛОГОВОЙ ПОЛИТИКИ

The years-long neglect of the interests of the real economy, particularly the non-oil sector interests, resulted in the formation of a speculative model of the Russian economy where the cash flows are circulating primarily in the financial sector. The current monetary policy that leaves aside the interests of the economic growth, the welfare growth and the employment fits quite well within this model. However, the low inflation cannot be regarded a goal in itself achieved through stifling the economic growth. The current crisis of the Russian economy has exposed the problem of the priority development of the domestic financial sector to the detriment of the real sector and the Russian economy as a whole. The speculative model of the economy developed in the past quarter-century has led to the disintegration of the financial and real sectors of the economy, which neither ensures the financial stability nor promotes the economic growth. Based on the research findings, the paper formulates proposals on how to prevent the “slippage” of the economy into an uncontrollable state and ensure its sustainable development, including the adjustment and coordination of the monetary, foreign exchange (forex) and fiscal policies of Russia.Многолетнее игнорирование интересов реального сектора экономики, особенно его несырьевого сектора, привело к формированию спекулятивной модели российской экономики, в которой денежные потоки циркулируют преимущественно в финансовом секторе. Такой модели соответствует и проводимая денежно-кредитная политика, за рамками которой остаются интересы экономического роста, роста благосостояния населения и его занятости. Вместе с тем достижение низкого уровня инфляции не может являться самоцелью, достигаемой за счет сдерживания экономического роста. Текущий кризис российской экономики обнажил проблемы приоритетного развития отечественного финансового сектора в ущерб интересам реального сектора и российской экономики в целом. Сформированная в прошедшую четверть века спекулятивная модель экономики страны привела к дезинтеграции финансового и реального секторов экономики, что не способствует ни достижению финансовой стабильности, ни обеспечению экономического роста. В статье на основе проведенного исследования сформулированы предложения по предотвращению «сползания» экономики в неуправляемое состояние и обеспечению ее устойчивого развития, включая корректировку и координацию денежно-кредитной, валютной и бюджетно-налоговой политик России

Многоуровневые инъекции ботулинического токсина типа А (Абоботулотоксина) при лечении спастических форм детского церебрального паралича: ретроспективное исследование опыта 8 российских центров

Background: The contemporary application of Botulinum toxin A (BTA) in cerebral palsy (CP) implies multilevel injections both in on-label and off-label muscles. However, there is no single international opinion on the effective and safe dosages, target muscles, and intervals between the injections.Objective: Our aim was to analyze the Russian multicenter independent experience of single and repeated multilevel injections of Abobotulinum toxin А in patients with spastic forms of CP.Methods: 8 independent referral CP-centers (10 hospitals) in different regions of Russia. Authors evaluated intervals between the injections, dosages of the BTA for the whole procedure, for the body mass, for the each muscle, and functional segment of the extremities.Results: 1872 protocols of effective BTA injections (1–14 repeated injections) for 724 patients with spastic CP were included. The age of the patients was between 8 months to 17 years 4 months at the beginning of the treatment (with a mean of 3 years 10 months). Multilevel BTA injections were indicated for the majority (n = 634, 87.6%) of the patients in all the centers. The medians of the dosages for the first BTA injection were between 30–31 U/kg (500 U), the repeated injections doses up to 45 U/kg (1000 U) (in most centers). The median intervals between the repeated injections were 180–200 days in 484 (66.9%) patients and 140–180 days in 157 (24.7%) patients. In 2 centers, children with GMFCS IV–V were injected more often than others.Conclusion: Multilevel BTA injections were indicated for the most patients. The initial dose of Abobotulinum toxin A was 30–31 U/kg. The repeated injections dose could increase up to 40 U/kg. The repeated injections were done in 140–200 days after the previous injection.Современная концепция ботулинотерапии при детском церебральном параличе (ДЦП) предлагает использование многоуровневых инъекций в расширенное число мышц. Однако по-прежнему отсутствует консенсус относительно выбора оптимальных доз, мышц и интервалов между инъекциями.Цель исследования: изучить российский опыт применения однократных и повторных многоуровневых инъекций абоботулотоксина при лечении спастичности у пациентов с ДЦП.Методы: в ретроспективном исследовании проанализирован опыт ботулинотерапии при ДЦПв 8 специализированных центрах России. Изучали протоколы клинически эффективных инъекций. Оценивали общие дозы препарата БТА, дозы на единицу массы тела пациентов, на всю инъекционную сессию и отдельные мышцы, а также интервалы между инъекциями.Результаты: изучено 1872 протокола клинически эффективных инъекций, всего от 1 до 14 повторных инъекций, сделанных 724 пациентам в возрасте от 8 мес до 17 лет 4 мес (медиана возраста на момент первой инъекции БТА — 3 года 10 мес) на момент начала ботулинотерапии. Большинство пациентов (n = 634; 87,6% инъекций) получили многоуровневую ботулинотерапию. Во всех центрах при первичных инъекциях БТА медиана доз находилась в пределах 30–31 Ед/кг массы тела (общая — 500 Ед). При повторных инъекциях в большинстве учреждений максимальные дозы превышали 45 Ед/кг (1000 Ед). Средние интервалы между повторными инъекциями колебались в пределах 140–180 сут для 157 (24,7%) и 180–200 сут для 484 (66,9%) пациентов. В 2 из 8 центров пациенты с наиболее выраженными двигательными нарушениями (GMFCS IV–V) требовали более частых повторных инъекций БТА.Заключение: в специализированных центрах большинству пациентов с ДЦП ботулинотерапию проводили по многоуровневой схеме. Общая доза абоботулотоксина при первичных инъекциях составляла 30–31 Ед/кг; при повторных инъекциях она могла быть увеличена до 40 Ед/кг и более. Вопрос о повторном проведении инъекции БТА рассматривался в интервале 140–200 сут после предшествующей инъекции

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RUSSIAN ECONOMY: IMPROVEMENT OF THE MONETARY, FOREX AND FISCAL POLICIES

The years-long neglect of the interests of the real economy, particularly the non-oil sector interests, resulted in the formation of a speculative model of the Russian economy where the cash flows are circulating primarily in the financial sector. The current monetary policy that leaves aside the interests of the economic growth, the welfare growth and the employment fits quite well within this model. However, the low inflation cannot be regarded a goal in itself achieved through stifling the economic growth. The current crisis of the Russian economy has exposed the problem of the priority development of the domestic financial sector to the detriment of the real sector and the Russian economy as a whole. The speculative model of the economy developed in the past quarter-century has led to the disintegration of the financial and real sectors of the economy, which neither ensures the financial stability nor promotes the economic growth. Based on the research findings, the paper formulates proposals on how to prevent the “slippage” of the economy into an uncontrollable state and ensure its sustainable development, including the adjustment and coordination of the monetary, foreign exchange (forex) and fiscal policies of Russia

Evaluation of the biodistribution of mesenchymal stem cells in a preclinical renal tuberculosis model by nonlinear magnetic response measurements.

Bone-marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exert anti-tuberculosis effects due to their potential to repair damaged tissues and modulate inflammatory immune responses. MSCs were reported to be recruited to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) affected sites in the organism. However, due to limitations of presently applied in vivo imaging techniques the trafficking and biodistribution of MSCs in Mtb-infected organisms is not possible. In the current study MSCs were labeled with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) as a negative MR contrast agent for imaging the biodistribution of MSCs in vivo. Trafficking of SPIONs-labeled MSCs was analyzed in a preclinical model of renal tuberculosis in male Chinchilla rabbits (n = 18) following intravenous administration on the days 0, 2, 3, and 7 employing a highly sensitive method of non-linear longitudinal magnetic response (NLR-M-2) measurements. Within 48 h after injection, nanoparticle-labeled MSCs accumulated predominantly in lung, spleen, liver tissues, and paratracheal lymph nodes with subsequent decrease over the observation period of 7 days. The recruitment of MSCs to Mtb-affected organs was further proven by immunohistological analysis. NLR-M-2 allowed the detection of SPIONs-labeled cells at low concentrations in different organs and tissues giving insights of in vivo mesenchymal stem cells trafficking in organism after TB infection

Multilevel Botulinum Toxin A (Abobotulinum Toxin A) Injections in Spastic Forms of Cerebral Palsy: Retrospective Analysis of 8 Russian Centers Experience

Background: The contemporary application of Botulinum toxin A (BTA) in cerebral palsy (CP) implies multilevel injections both in on-label and off-label muscles. However, there is no single international opinion on the effective and safe dosages, target muscles, and intervals between the injections.Objective: Our aim was to analyze the Russian multicenter independent experience of single and repeated multilevel injections of Abobotulinum toxin А in patients with spastic forms of CP.Methods: 8 independent referral CP-centers (10 hospitals) in different regions of Russia. Authors evaluated intervals between the injections, dosages of the BTA for the whole procedure, for the body mass, for the each muscle, and functional segment of the extremities.Results: 1872 protocols of effective BTA injections (1–14 repeated injections) for 724 patients with spastic CP were included. The age of the patients was between 8 months to 17 years 4 months at the beginning of the treatment (with a mean of 3 years 10 months). Multilevel BTA injections were indicated for the majority (n = 634, 87.6%) of the patients in all the centers. The medians of the dosages for the first BTA injection were between 30–31 U/kg (500 U), the repeated injections doses up to 45 U/kg (1000 U) (in most centers). The median intervals between the repeated injections were 180–200 days in 484 (66.9%) patients and 140–180 days in 157 (24.7%) patients. In 2 centers, children with GMFCS IV–V were injected more often than others.Conclusion: Multilevel BTA injections were indicated for the most patients. The initial dose of Abobotulinum toxin A was 30–31 U/kg. The repeated injections dose could increase up to 40 U/kg. The repeated injections were done in 140–200 days after the previous injection

Efficacy and safety of the Russian protease inhibitor narlaprevir at treatment-naive and earlier treated noncirrhotic patients with the 1st genotype chronic hepatitis C (PIONEER study)

Aim of investigation. To estimate efficacy and safety of narlaprevir (NVR) with ritonavir (RTV), pegilated interferon (peg-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) at treatmentnaïve and earlier treated noncirrhotic patients with chronic hepatitis C caused by the 1st virus genotype in double blind placebo-controlled 3rd phase study (PIONEER). Material and methods. The main group received NVR (200 mg od orally) in combination to RTV (100 mg) and pegIFN/RBV for 12 weeks that was followed by peg-IFN/ RBV for 12 weeks. Comparison group received pegIFN/ RBV for 48 weeks, for the first 12 weeks in combination to placebo. Results. The sustained virologic response in 24 weeks after treatment termination (SVR24) in the main group (NVR/RTV, PEG IFN/RBV)) was achieved in 89.1% (163/183) of treatment-naïve and 69.7% (69/99) of earlier treated patients. SVR24 was achieved in 86.5% (32/37) of patients with relapse after previous peg-IFN/ RBV treatment course. The viral load decreased for the mean of 5.3 log10 in 2 weeks and 5.9 log10 in 4 weeks of treatment in the main group vs 1.5 log10 in 2 weeks and 2.5 log10 in 4 weeks in comparison group. In treatment-naïve patients from the main group SVR24 was achieved in 90.8% at initial METAVIR F0-F2 liver fibrosis stage and in 75% at F3 liver fibrosis stage. In those who were previously treated by peg-IFN/RBV, in the main group SVR-24 was attained in 72.6% at liver fibrosis stage F0-F2 and in 53.3% with F3 liver fibrosis stage. NVR/RTV addition to peg-IFN/RBV treatment did not alter safety profile as compared to peg-IFN/RBV therapy. Conclusions. In PIONEER study the narlaprevir combination therapy was characterized by high efficacy, convenience of administration and favorable safety profile