Export of Medical Devices and Industry Integration of Russian Regions in the Context of Covid-19

The sudden and severe outbreak of Covid-19 has both challenged the world economy and created new opportunities to address the problem of domestic production, integration and export growth in Russia. The study aims to identify the characteristics of medical exports and assess the integration of individual Russian regions in the context of a pandemic. To this end, we analyse the volume and geography of medical devices exports in 40 Russian regions exporting  to prevent the spread of new coronavirus infections. Characteristics of medical exports and sectoral integration in conditions of pandemic risks were identified. Exports of Covid-19 medical devices are highly concentrated in a small number of Russian regions. The development of export-oriented medical devices accelerated due to the intensification of existing production capacities as well as the involvement of related sectors in the value chain. Additionally, non-economic factors (threats to life and health of nations) are becoming increasingly important in international trade in the short term.  The research highlights the high adaptation of Russian local producers to the needs of the world and domestic economy. Moreover, an increase in exports simultaneously allowed Russia to satisfy the domestic demand for medical devices for preventing and controlling the spread of coronavirus. The sector development requires the strengthening of export support institutions both in the major regions exporting Covid-19 medical devices and in the regions where this industry is still in its infancy but has already shown steady growth. Future research can focus on studying export trends of medical devices in the face of viral risks, as well as expanding the context to include strategies for the integration of Russian regions into global economic relations, considering sectoral specificities and the geostrategic situation

Export of Medical Devices and Industry Integration of Russian Regions in the Context of Covid-19

The sudden and severe outbreak of Covid-19 has both challenged the world economy and created new opportunities to address the problem of domestic production, integration and export growth in Russia. The study aims to identify the characteristics of medical exports and assess the integration of individual Russian regions in the context of a pandemic. To this end, we analyse the volume and geography of medical devices exports in 40 Russian regions exporting  to prevent the spread of new coronavirus infections. Characteristics of medical exports and sectoral integration in conditions of pandemic risks were identified. Exports of Covid-19 medical devices are highly concentrated in a small number of Russian regions. The development of export-oriented medical devices accelerated due to the intensification of existing production capacities as well as the involvement of related sectors in the value chain. Additionally, non-economic factors (threats to life and health of nations) are becoming increasingly important in international trade in the short term.  The research highlights the high adaptation of Russian local producers to the needs of the world and domestic economy. Moreover, an increase in exports simultaneously allowed Russia to satisfy the domestic demand for medical devices for preventing and controlling the spread of coronavirus. The sector development requires the strengthening of export support institutions both in the major regions exporting Covid-19 medical devices and in the regions where this industry is still in its infancy but has already shown steady growth. Future research can focus on studying export trends of medical devices in the face of viral risks, as well as expanding the context to include strategies for the integration of Russian regions into global economic relations, considering sectoral specificities and the geostrategic situation

Восстановление полей дрейфа морского льда по последовательным спутниковым радиолокационным изображениям методом прослеживания особых точек

The state of the art methods for sea ice drift retrieval from sequential SAR images are described. An original algorithm based on scale-spaced image representation that effi cient both to noise suppression and signal preserving is proposed. The validation of the algorithm against the manual-derived reference data presented. Its advantages demonstrated in comparison with previously developed algorithms using Sentinel-1a data.Описываются подходы к автоматизированному расчету дрейфа морского льда по последовательным изображениям на основе данных активной радиолокации РСА-SAR (радиолокаторы с синтезированной апертурой). Предлагается оригинальный алгоритм на основе применения многомасштабного представления изображений с использованием адаптивного подавления шумов. Приводятся оценки качества расчетов с использованием данных спутника Sentinel-1А, демонстрируются преимущества разработанного алгоритма на основе результатов сопоставления с существующими мировыми аналогами

Phylogenetic Relationships and Evolutionary Patterns of the Order Collodaria (Radiolaria)

Collodaria are the only group of Radiolaria that has a colonial lifestyle. This group is potentially the most important plankton in the oligotrophic ocean because of its large biomass and the high primary productivity associated with the numerous symbionts inside a cell or colony. The evolution of Collodaria could thus be related to the changes in paleo-productivity that have affected organic carbon fixation in the oligotrophic ocean. However, the fossil record of Collodaria is insufficient to trace their abundance through geological time, because most collodarians do not have silicified shells. Recently, molecular phylogeny based on nuclear small sub-unit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) confirmed Collodaria to be one of five orders of Radiolaria, though the relationship among collodarians is still unresolved because of inadequate taxonomic sampling. Our phylogenetic analysis has revealed four novel collodarian sequences, on the basis of which collodarians can be divided into four clades that correspond to taxonomic grouping at the family level: Thalassicollidae, Collozoidae, Collosphaeridae, and Collophidae. Comparison of the results of our phylogenetic analyses with the morphological characteristics of each collodarian family suggests that the first ancestral collodarians had a solitary lifestyle and left no silica deposits. The timing of events estimated from molecular divergence calculations indicates that naked collodarian lineages first appeared around 45.6 million years (Ma) ago, coincident with the diversification of diatoms in the pelagic oceans. Colonial collodarians appeared after the formation of the present ocean circulation system and the development of oligotrophic conditions in the equatorial Pacific (ca. 33.4 Ma ago). The divergence of colonial collodarians probably caused a shift in the efficiency of primary production during this period

Amyloid Plaques Beyond Aβ: A Survey of the Diverse Modulators of Amyloid Aggregation

Aggregation of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide is strongly correlated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Recent research has improved our understanding of the kinetics of amyloid fibril assembly and revealed new details regarding different stages in plaque formation. Presently, interest is turning toward studying this process in a holistic context, focusing on cellular components which interact with the Aβ peptide at various junctures during aggregation, from monomer to cross-β amyloid fibrils. However, even in isolation, a multitude of factors including protein purity, pH, salt content, and agitation affect Aβ fibril formation and deposition, often producing complicated and conflicting results. The failure of numerous inhibitors in clinical trials for AD suggests that a detailed examination of the complex interactions that occur during plaque formation, including binding of carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and metal ions, is important for understanding the diversity of manifestations of the disease. Unraveling how a variety of key macromolecular modulators interact with the Aβ peptide and change its aggregation properties may provide opportunities for developing therapies. Since no protein acts in isolation, the interplay of these diverse molecules may differentiate disease onset, progression, and severity, and thus are worth careful consideration

Export of Medical Devices and Industry Integration of Russian Regions in the Context of Covid-19

Внезапный и резкий рост COVID-19 не только выступил вызовом для мировой экономики, но и создал новые возможности решения проблемы развития внутреннего производства, интеграционных процессов и наращивания экспорта России. Целью исследования являются выявление особенностей экспорта медицинских изделий и оценка интеграции отдельных российских регионов в условиях пандемии. Для этого в статье проведен анализ объема и географии экспортных сделок 40 российских регионов, осуществляющих экспорт медицинских изделий для предупреждения и предотвращения распространения новой коронавирусной инфекции. Авторы выявили особенности экспорта медицинских изделий и отраслевой интеграции в условиях пандемических рисков. Так, наблюдается высокая концентрация экспорта медицинских изделий, предназначенных для борьбы с COVID-19, в незначительном количестве отдельных российских регионов. Ускоренное развитие экспортных видов медицинских изделий обеспечивается не только интенсификацией действующих мощностей производства, но и вовлечением в цепочки создания стоимости ресурсов смежных отраслей. Возрастает значимость в международной торговле в краткосрочном периоде неэкономических факторов (угроза жизни и здоровью наций). ЕАЭС демонстрирует свое возрастающее значение как регулятора обеспеченности медицинскими изделиями на пространстве союза. Авторы отмечают высокую степень адаптации российских локальных производителей к потребностям мировой и внутрироссийской экономики. При наращивании экспорта удалось одновременно покрыть внутренние потребности страны в медицинских изделиях, предназначенных для предупреждения и предотвращения распространения новой коронавирусной инфекции. Перспективы развития данного сектора заключаются в укреплении институтов поддержки экспорта как в крупнейших регионах-экспортерах медицинских изделий для борьбы COVID19, так и регионах, в которых данная отрасль еще только зарождается, но уже показывает устойчивый интенсивный рост. Направления будущих исследований авторы видят в изучении тенденций развития экспорта медицинских изделий в условиях сохранения вирусных рисков, а также расширения контекста вплоть до стратегий интеграции российских регионов в мирохозяйственные связи с учетом отраслевой специфики и геостратегического положения.The sudden and severe outbreak of Covid-19 has both challenged the world economy and created new opportunities to address the problem of domestic production, integration and export growth in Russia. The study aims to identify the characteristics of medical exports and assess the integration of individual Russian regions in the context of a pandemic. To this end, the paper analyses the volume and geography of export transactions of 40 Russian regions exporting medical devices to prevent the spread of new coronavirus infections. Characteristics of medical exports and sectoral integration in conditions of pandemic risks were identified. For example, exports of Covid-19 medical devices are highly concentrated in a small number of Russian regions. The development of export-oriented medical devices accelerated due to the intensification of existing production capacities as well as the involvement of related sectors in the value chain. Additionally, non-economic factors (threats to life and health of nations) are becoming increasingly important in international trade in the short term. The Eurasian Economic Union demonstrates its growing significance as a regulator of medical device supply within the integration area. The research highlights the high adaptation of Russian local producers to the needs of the world and domestic economy. Moreover, an increase in exports simultaneously allowed Russia to satisfy the domestic demand for medical devices for preventing and controlling the spread of coronavirus. The sector development requires the strengthening of export support institutions both in the major regions exporting Covid-19 medical devices and in the regions where this industry is still in its infancy but has already shown steady growth. Future research can focus on studying export trends of medical devices in the face of viral risks, as well as expanding the context to include strategies for the integration of Russian regions into global economic relations, considering sectoral specificities and the geostrategic situation.Исследование выполнено при финансовой поддержке РФФИ в рамках научного проекта № 19-510-23001. Авторы выражают благодарность рецензентам, замечания которых позволили повысить качество данной статьи.The article has been prepared with the support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, the scientific project No. 19-510-23001. The authors would like to thank the reviewers, whose comments allowed them to improve the quality of the present article