Monitoring of food security in the Russian Federation : methodology and assessment

The paper presents the results of food security research in the Russia Federation. Providing food security and country’s independence becomes the core of keeping the national sovereignty under conditions of globalization and integration processes development. It determined the research relevance. The purpose of the research is the development of a new methodological approach to monitoring of food security as one of most important components of an efficient protection system of the latter. Integrative reproduction approach to monitoring of country’s food security meeting stability criteria, economic and social ecological efficiency, competitive ability and safety is suggested. The composition of indicators arranged in four groups is developed within the framework of such approach in order to carry out all-round monitoring of Russian Federation’s food security: agroindustrial complex production capacity and its efficient use; food accessibility; food affordability; food quality and level. The assessment of Russian Federation’s agriculture facilities, agricultural products output dynamics, agricultural raw materials and provisions export and import, level of staple foods consumption by the population and Russians’ diet is given based on indicative analysis. The main threats to Russia’s food security are revealed (productive powers deindustrialization; low level of investment to the agricultural sector; labour force reduction; increase in dependence on imported foodstuff; population’s low income level and living standards, etc.) Recommendations regarding Russian Federation’s food security level increase are given (carrying out augmented technologic modernization, establishing a brand new enterprise network, development of associations and cooperatives, increase in government control combined with agricultural producers’ business activity, development of market forms of cooperation and integration).peer-reviewe

Innovation as a Factor in Sustainable Development of Russia’s Agriculture

Sustainable agriculture is an integral aspect of the sustainable development of a socio-economic system. In this regard, innovation is considered to be one of the leading factors ensuring the development of sustainable agricultural since it increases the efficiency and competitiveness of the industry in the domestic and foreign markets. This study presents a system of recursive equations characterizing the innovations occurring within agricultural organizations in the regions of the Russian Federation. Additionally, the study assesses the sustainability of agricultural development in Russia by calculating the integrated index of five components: economic, innovative, social, ecological, and institutional. Also, the authors built a regression model that estimates the influence of innovation on the sustainability of agricultural development in Russia

Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on the Effectiveness of Companies' Business Activities

Background: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has a great influence on the sustainability of company development, so it can be considered a business model for business effectiveness. Objective: The objective of the research is to determine the mutual influence of real-estate companies’ activities and CSR effectiveness in different countries. This study examines indicators for assessing companies’ financial stability, CSR, and working capital management's influence on the activity effectiveness of real-estate companies. Methods/Analysis: Questionnaires, the principal component method, the Sobel test, and linear regression analysis are used to evaluate the relationship between CSR and the business performance of autocratic management-style companies. The authors’ algorithm for assessing a company’s financial stability, CSR, and capital management, which affect the efficiency of companies, is proposed. Findings: Empirical analysis has shown that management has no mediating effect on CSR and enterprise performance relationships for companies with high financial stability and working capital, though it has a stimulating effect for low financial stability companies. CSR and business performance have positive relationships in companies, but despite financial stability growing, the autocratic leadership style reduces interest in CSR development. This paper conceptualizes the impacts of CSR on the effectiveness of companies. Novelty: The novelty of this study is to create theoretical and practical provisions aimed at laws and regulations. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2023-07-03-08 Full Text: PD

Design and baseline characteristics of the finerenone in reducing cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in diabetic kidney disease trial

Background: Among people with diabetes, those with kidney disease have exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and progression of their underlying kidney disease. Finerenone is a novel, nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that has shown to reduce albuminuria in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) while revealing only a low risk of hyperkalemia. However, the effect of finerenone on CV and renal outcomes has not yet been investigated in long-term trials. Patients and Methods: The Finerenone in Reducing CV Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease (FIGARO-DKD) trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of finerenone compared to placebo at reducing clinically important CV and renal outcomes in T2D patients with CKD. FIGARO-DKD is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, event-driven trial running in 47 countries with an expected duration of approximately 6 years. FIGARO-DKD randomized 7,437 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate >= 25 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio >= 30 to <= 5,000 mg/g). The study has at least 90% power to detect a 20% reduction in the risk of the primary outcome (overall two-sided significance level alpha = 0.05), the composite of time to first occurrence of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure. Conclusions: FIGARO-DKD will determine whether an optimally treated cohort of T2D patients with CKD at high risk of CV and renal events will experience cardiorenal benefits with the addition of finerenone to their treatment regimen. Trial Registration: EudraCT number: 2015-000950-39; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02545049

Improvement of the Mechanism for Funding Innovation Activities in a Region in the Context of Sustainable Development

Introduction. In order to ensure sustainable development of modern society, a transition to an innovative model of economic development is necessary. This requires an annual increase in investment in the sphere of innovation, as well as significant expenditures on fundamental and applied research and development of new technologies. This necessitates the creation of an effective mechanism of financial support for innovative activities based on public and private funding. The aim of this study is to analyze the existing mechanism for funding innovation activities in the Republic of Mordovia and to put forward suggestions on how to improve it. Materials and Methods. The authors analyzed statistical data from the Ministry of Industry, Science and New Technologies of the Republic of Mordovia and from the territorial office of the Federal State Statistics Service in the Republic of Mordovia that characterize the dynamics and intensity of innovation processes in the region and the system of funding them. The correlation and regression analysis, as well as the trend method were used to construct an econometric model making it possible to determine the impact of the level of innovation costs on the dynamics of change in the gross regional product. Results. The current state of the innovation infrastructure as well as that of the innovation activities in the Republic of Mordovia has been assessed. The sources of financial support for the innovation process in a region have been identified. In order to find new sources of funding innovations, it has been proposed to use an innovation voucher that would stimulate commercialization of intellectual activities in small and medium-sized enterprises. A mechanism has been developed for regional authorities to subsidize promising projects through public-private partnerships, with a view to minimizing nonsystematic risks. Discussion and Conclusion. The recommendations on the search for new instruments to attract financial resources for innovation and to stimulate demand for innovation have been developed and will help Mordovia to increase its innovation activity. The results of this research may be used by regional authorities to develop regional programs for scientific and innovative development

Innovation as a factor in sustainable development of Russia's agriculture

Sustainable agriculture is an integral aspect of the sustainable development of a socio-economic system. In this regard, innovation is considered to be one of the leading factors ensuring the development of sustainable agricultural since it increases the efficiency and competitiveness of the industry in the domestic and foreign markets. This study presents a system of recursive equations characterizing the innovations occurring within agricultural organizations in the regions of the Russian Federation. Additionally, the study assesses the sustainability of agricultural development in Russia by calculating the integrated index of five components: economic, innovative, social, ecological, and institutional. Also, the authors built a regression model that estimates the influence of innovation on the sustainability of agricultural development in Russia

Changes in the Differentiation Program of Birch Cambial Derivatives following Trunk Girdling

The mechanisms regulating the tree trunk radial growth can be studied in original experiments. One technique for studying cambium activity (the meristem involved in radial growth) under conditions of an increased photoassimilate level is trunk girdling. We girdled the trunks of 17- to 22-year-old silver birch plants (Betula pendula Roth var. pendula) during the active growth period and collected xylem and phloem samples at two height levels (1 cm and 35 cm) above girdle, 10, 20, and 30 days after girdling. We investigated the changes that occurred at the anatomical level, as well as the activities of sucrose-metabolizing enzymes and antioxidant-system enzymes and the expression of genes that encode proteins involved in sucrose and auxin transport and metabolism. A moderate increase in photoassimilates (35 cm above the girdle) resulted in a change in the ratio of phloem to xylem increments and an increase in the proportion of parenchyma in the conducting tissues. The increase of photoassimilates above the level at which they can be used in the processes of normal tissue growth and development (1 cm above the girdle) led to xylogenesis suppression and the stimulation of phloem formation, a significant increase in the parenchyma proportion in the conducting tissues, and formation of large sclereid complexes. The differentiation of parenchyma and sclereid cells coincided with biochemical and molecular markers of abnormal conducting tissue formation in Karelian birch, which are also characterized by high proportions of parenchyma and sclereid near the cambium. The results obtained are important in understanding the cambium responses to the photoassimilate distribution changes and estimating tree productivity and survival under changing environmental conditions