Analysis of the Dynamics of Offshore Procedures

Today offshore operations play a crucial role in building the economy of the country. During the lifetime of the offshore operations the offshore schemes, the geography of the jurisdictions themselves and legislation have changed. The relevance of this article is that it discusses both the positive and negative sides of offshore. Keywords: Offshore, offshore jurisdictions, capital investment, tax resident

Information Protection Tools for Android-based Mobile Devices

Presently, the issue of protecting information and personal data contained in mobile devices is of vital importance. The use of cutting-edge powerful smartphones presented by manufacturers as a substitute for personal computers, laptops and tablets, stresses the need for utilizing both built-in free information protection features and special antivirus software manufactured by recognized global developers. The article reveals the effectiveness of using built-in information protection tools for Android-based mobile devices and presents a comparative characteristic of similar tools applied with the help of up-to-date antivirus software. Keywords: mobile devices, information, personal data, cyber threats, Android-based, viruses, protection of information (information protection), smartphones, security

Modern concept analysis of failure modes and consequences for quality assurance of products and processes

Human needs in certain types of products, in new goods and services are constantly developing, changing, clarifying. To meet these needs, new goods samples are being created, and the products are being improved. Production processes are being developed, new equipment, tools and techniques are being created. New technical solutions, new operations application as well asit execution methods can produce constructive errors and dangerous situations both during production and during its exploitation. The Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) allows to predict that product lifecycle processes can functioning not properly. FMEA helps ensure the products and processes quality at the earliest stages of it design. The American approach (AIAG - Automotive Industry Action Group) and the German approach (VDA - Verband der Automobilindustrie) have now been harmonized. In 2019, the FMEA Handbook was published, reflecting the new FMEA implementation concept. Experience has emerged with a new approach. The work considers the possibilities of applying a new approach in the conditions of Russian companies, which allows to find new technical solutions. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

Modern concept analysis of failure modes and consequences for quality assurance of products and processes

Human needs in certain types of products, in new goods and services are constantly developing, changing, clarifying. To meet these needs, new goods samples are being created, and the products are being improved. Production processes are being developed, new equipment, tools and techniques are being created. New technical solutions, new operations application as well asit execution methods can produce constructive errors and dangerous situations both during production and during its exploitation. The Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) allows to predict that product lifecycle processes can functioning not properly. FMEA helps ensure the products and processes quality at the earliest stages of it design. The American approach (AIAG - Automotive Industry Action Group) and the German approach (VDA - Verband der Automobilindustrie) have now been harmonized. In 2019, the FMEA Handbook was published, reflecting the new FMEA implementation concept. Experience has emerged with a new approach. The work considers the possibilities of applying a new approach in the conditions of Russian companies, which allows to find new technical solutions. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

Improve business process efficiency by value engineering

This article is devoted to the problems of business processes optimization by value engineering (FCA) method. The business processes analysis is particularly relevant in modern conditions. The purpose the investigation is to adapt the value engineering to the business process. The FCA is a universal and highly efficient method of parameters optimization and other structural, technological, organizational, economic characteristics of a product, work or services. The hypothesis of the applying a value engineering to a business process possibility is considered. The article discusses FCA tools as an example of a metal rolling business delivery process. A business process model is being constructed as an object structural element model. The functions decomposition is carried out. Functions are classified into basic and auxiliary on the basis of the level. In the article the significance and functional costs are determined. A functional-cost diagram is constructed to identify the functions with the most deviations needing improvement. The FCA stages are accompanied by graphical illustrations, tables that illustrate the logic of applying the method to the business process. As a result, an optimal business-process concept with the lowest cost is being developed. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

Lubiprostone ameliorates the cystic fibrosis mouse intestinal phenotype

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by mutations in the <it>CFTR </it>gene that impair the function of CFTR, a cAMP-regulated anion channel. In the small intestine loss of CFTR function creates a dehydrated, acidic luminal environment which is believed to cause an accumulation of mucus, a phenotype characteristic of CF. CF mice have small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, an altered innate immune response, and impaired intestinal transit. We investigated whether lubiprostone, which can activate the CLC2 Cl^-channel, would improve the intestinal phenotype in CF mice.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p><it>Cftr^tm1UNC</it>(CF) and wildtype (WT) littermate mice on the C57BL/6J background were used. Lubiprostone (10 μg/kg-day) was administered by gavage for two weeks. Mucus accumulation was estimated from crypt lumen widths in periodic acid-Schiff base, Alcian blue stained sections. Luminal bacterial load was measured by qPCR for the bacterial 16<it>S </it>gene. Gastric emptying and small intestinal transit in fasted mice were assessed using gavaged rhodamine dextran. Gene expression was evaluated by Affymetrix Mouse430 2.0 microarray and qRT-PCR.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Crypt width in control CF mice was 700% that of WT mice (<it>P </it>< 0.001). Lubiprostone did not affect WT crypt width but, unexpectedly, increased CF crypt width 22% (<it>P </it>= 0.001). Lubiprostone increased bacterial load in WT mice to 490% of WT control levels (<it>P </it>= 0.008). Conversely, lubiprostone decreased bacterial overgrowth in CF mice by 60% (<it>P </it>= 0.005). Lubiprostone increased gastric emptying at 20 min postgavage in both WT (<it>P </it>< 0.001) and CF mice (<it>P </it>< 0.001). Lubiprostone enhanced small intestinal transit in WT mice (<it>P </it>= 0.024) but not in CF mice (<it>P </it>= 0.377). Among other innate immune markers, expression of mast cell genes was elevated 4-to 40-fold in the CF intestine as compared to WT, and lubiprostone treatment of CF mice decreased expression to WT control levels.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results indicate that lubiprostone has some benefits for the CF intestinal phenotype, especially on bacterial overgrowth and the innate immune response. The unexpected observation of increased mucus accumulation in the crypts of lubiprostone-treated CF mice suggests the possibility that lubiprostone increases mucus secretion.</p

Mast Cells and Gastrointestinal Dysmotility in the Cystic Fibrosis Mouse

BACKGROUND: Cystic fibrosis (CF) has many effects on the gastrointestinal tract and a common problem in this disease is poor nutrition. In the CF mouse there is an innate immune response with a large influx of mast cells into the muscularis externa of the small intestine and gastrointestinal dysmotility. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential role of mast cells in gastrointestinal dysmotility using the CF mouse (Cftr(tm1UNC), Cftr knockout). METHODOLOGY: Wild type (WT) and CF mice were treated for 3 weeks with mast cell stabilizing drugs (ketotifen, cromolyn, doxantrazole) or were treated acutely with a mast cell activator (compound 48/80). Gastrointestinal transit was measured using gavage of a fluorescent tracer. RESULTS: In CF mice gastric emptying at 20 min post-gavage did not differ from WT, but was significantly less than in WT at 90 min post-gavage. Gastric emptying was significantly increased in WT mice by doxantrazole, but none of the mast cell stabilizers had any significant effect on gastric emptying in CF mice. Mast cell activation significantly enhanced gastric emptying in WT mice but not in CF mice. Small intestinal transit was significantly less in CF mice as compared to WT. Of the mast cell stabilizers, only doxantrazole significantly affected small intestinal transit in WT mice and none had any effect in CF mice. Mast cell activation resulted in a small but significant increase in small intestinal transit in CF mice but not WT mice. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that mast cells are not involved in gastrointestinal dysmotility but their activation can stimulate small intestinal transit in cystic fibrosis

Variation in MSRA Modifies Risk of Neonatal Intestinal Obstruction in Cystic Fibrosis

Meconium ileus (MI), a life-threatening intestinal obstruction due to meconium with abnormal protein content, occurs in approximately 15 percent of neonates with cystic fibrosis (CF). Analysis of twins with CF demonstrates that MI is a highly heritable trait, indicating that genetic modifiers are largely responsible for this complication. Here, we performed regional family-based association analysis of a locus that had previously been linked to MI and found that SNP haplotypes 5′ to and within the MSRA gene were associated with MI (P = 1.99×10−5 to 1.08×10−6; Bonferroni P = 0.057 to 3.1×10−3). The haplotype with the lowest P value showed association with MI in an independent sample of 1,335 unrelated CF patients (OR = 0.72, 95% CI [0.53–0.98], P = 0.04). Intestinal obstruction at the time of weaning was decreased in CF mice with Msra null alleles compared to those with wild-type Msra resulting in significant improvement in survival (P = 1.2×10−4). Similar levels of goblet cell hyperplasia were observed in the ilea of the Cftr−/− and Cftr−/−Msra−/− mice. Modulation of MSRA, an antioxidant shown to preserve the activity of enzymes, may influence proteolysis in the developing intestine of the CF fetus, thereby altering the incidence of obstruction in the newborn period. Identification of MSRA as a modifier of MI provides new insight into the biologic mechanism of neonatal intestinal obstruction caused by loss of CFTR function