Innovative Strategy for Selecting Industries for Program-Target Stimulation of Regional Economic Diversification

The purpose of this study is to substantiate the approach to the selection of industries for program-target stimulation of regional economy diversification, focusing on developing new strong industries and increasing the economic complexity of the regional economy. The research methodology is based on the application of the concept of revealed comparative advantages and an assessment of the economic complexity of industries and regions of Russia (the Udmurt Republic, Republic of Mordovia, Kaliningrad Region, and Trans-Baikal Territory) using data on tax revenues by economic sectors. The novelty of this research lies in demonstrating the effectiveness of applying the revealed comparative advantage concept, an approach to assessing economic complexity based on the use of tax revenue data by economic sectors, and a strategy for modernizing intermediate opportunities when selecting industries for program-target stimulation of regional economy diversification. The practical significance of the results is determined by the possibilities of their use in the application of program-target mechanisms to solve problems of stimulating the development of individual sectors of the regional economy. Selecting priority areas for diversification based on economic complexity methods can contribute to the improvement of budget balancing, economic growth and sustainable development, and mitigation of interregional inequality. Doi: 10.28991/HIJ-2023-04-03-013 Full Text: PD

Program-Target Mechanisms to Ensure the Fiscal Balance of the Federal Constituent

The purpose of this research is to study the possible impact of program costs associated with the development of the real sector of the regional economy on the fiscal balances of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation based on the wavelet analysis method. To achieve this purpose, we conducted a correlation analysis of the time-frequency dependence between the variables of the empirical model: the shares of program costs, the shares of non-repayable receipts, and the share of business taxes in the revenues of the consolidated budgets of constituent entities of the Russian Federation such as the Republic of Mordovia, the Udmurt Republic, Trans-Baikal Territory, and Kaliningrad Region for the period from 2001 to 2021. The research results indicate a significant impact exerted by the program costs of the regional budgets on the development of the real sector to ensure fiscal balance in the Republic of Mordovia, the Udmurt Republic, and the Trans-Baikal Territory on certain time scales. The novelty of this research lies in demonstrating the wavelet analysis effectiveness applied when conducting correlation analysis in cases where the relationships between the analyzed variables follow different patterns at different time horizons, and precisely wavelet analysis makes it possible to reveal the most significant characteristics of the relationship of variables. Earlier studies based on traditional methods ignored the time-frequency dependence between the variables of the empirical model. The practical significance of the research results lies in the fact that they determine the time scale on which the most effective measures and budgetary policy instruments applied within the framework of program-target mechanisms are provided to ensure fiscal balances in the regions. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2023-07-05-05 Full Text: PD

Иммуновоспалительные механизмы развития РА-ассо- циированного атеросклероза: перспективные направления оптимизации терапевтической стратегии

According to data from large population trials and meta-analyses, mortality in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) significantly exceeds that in the general population. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) rather widely contribute to the excess mortality in RA patients. Despite the recent emergence of a large number of innovative drugs for RA treatment, CVD mortality in this pathology persists at the level of the cardiovascular risk (CVR) typical for diabetes mellitus. With that, currently there is a clear trend among physicians for underestimating CVR in these patients. The review analyzes discovered pathogenetic mechanisms of CVR development in RA, which are represented by an integrated complex of vascular (endothelial dysfunction), cellular (T-cell dysfunction), and humoral (proinflammatory mediators, autoantibodies, complement activation) disorders. Besides, despite a large amount of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs that can provide CVR decrease due to selective effects on separate mechanisms, the current lack of comparative trials does not allow to readily define specific drugs that are beneficial for the specific CVD decrease. Due to this, the promising trend of applied clinical medicine presumes the implementation of the interdisciplinary approach to CVR correction in RA patients, which will account not only for the treatment administered by the rheumatologist, but also the risk stratification, patient compliance, and multidisciplinary treatment efficacy control. This will allow for optimal CVD prevention in RA patients, thus significantly improving their quality of life and prognosis.В соответствии с данными крупных популяционных исследований и метаанализов, смертность при ревматоидном артрите (РА) значимо превышает таковую у населения в целом. При этом сердечно-сосудистые заболевания (ССЗ) вносят обширный вклад в избыточную летальность пациентов с РА. Несмотря на появление большого количества инновационных лекарственных препаратов для лечения РА в последние годы, смертность от ССЗ при данной патологии сохраняется на уровне сердечно-сосудистого риска (ССР), соответствующего сахарному диабету. При этом в клинической практике до настоящего времени наблюдается четкая тенденция недооценки ССР у этих пациентов. В обзоре проанализированы установленные к настоящему моменту патогенетические механизмы развития ССР при РА, представляющие собой сложный интегрированный комплекс сосудистых (эндотелиальная дисфункция), клеточных (дисфункция Т-клеток) и гуморальных (провоспалительные медиаторы, аутоантитела, активация комплемента) нарушений. Кроме того, несмотря на обширный арсенал базисных противовоспалительных препаратов, которые могут обеспечивать снижение ССР благодаря селективному воздействию на отдельные механизмы, недостаток сравнительных исследований на данный момент не позволяет с уверенностью выделить конкретные препараты, обладающие преимуществом в отношении специфического уменьшения ССР. В связи с этим перспективным направлением прикладной клинической медицины является внедрение междисциплинарного подхода к коррекции ССР у больных РА, в рамках которого будут учтены не только назначенная ревматологом терапия, но и стратификация рисков, приверженность пациентов лечению и многопрофильный контроль эффективности терапии. Это позволит обеспечить оптимальную профилактику ССЗ у больных РА и тем самым значимо улучшить их качество жизни и прогноз

Financial Risks of Russian Oil Companies in Conditions of Volatility of Global Oil Prices

The development of scientific approaches to assessing and diagnosing the financial risks of oil industry in the Russian Federation becomes a high priority task in conditions of high level of volatility in oil prices in the world energy market and preservation of sanctions regime. The article shows the main threats to financial stability of oil companies in Russia. Using cluster analysis, a system of indicators is proposed that determines the level of financial risk of oil companies in Russia. Based on the method of expert assessments and fuzzy sets, the classification of financial risk levels of oil industry is proposed. The integrated financial risk level of oil industry was calculated and scenarios of its development for 2018–2020 were forecast by means of regression modeling. The system of measures to improve the stability of oil companies and prevent functional financial risks is argued. The practical implementation of research results will be the basis for timely diagnosis of financial risks and qualitative development of preventive measures to neutralize them in the oil industry of Russia. Keywords: Oil Industry, Oil Companies, Financial Risks, Oil Prices, Financial Stability of Oil Industry JEL Classifications: Q43; Q41; G32; L52 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/ijeep.735

EFFECT OF SUBCUTANEOUS METHOTREXATE ON THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE VASCULAR WALL IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Objective: to evaluate the effect of a subcutaneous methotrexate (MT) formulation (methoject), on the structure and function of the vascular wall in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Subjects and methods. A total of 94 RA patients who met the 1987 ACR or 2010 ACR/EULAR classification criteria and who were positive for IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) and/or anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA) were examined. Carotid arteries were examined to assesslocal vascular wall stiffness, regional arterial stiffness and pulse wave velocity before and 12 months after start of MT therapy.Results and discussion. The patients with RA were found to have subclinical great artery lesion manifesting itself as increases in common carotid artery (CCA) intima-media thickness (IMT) and stiffness index and as rises in peripheral augmentation index (AIp), stiffness index (SI), and reflection index (RI), the values of which correlated with the duration of RA, DAS28, the level of RF, and the concentration of ACPA. The use of MT in the patients with RA caused a statistically significant reduction in DAS28 and a decrease in CCA intima-media complex and local vascular (carotid) stiffness. More significant changes were observed when the duration of RA was less than 2 years; by the end of the follow up, this group showed a 29% decrease in CCA IMT (p < 0.01) and an average of 22.5% reduction in CCA stiffness (p < 0.05). 12-month MT therapy decreased AIp, SI, and RI valuesto a greater extent in the patients who had RA of less than 2 years; in this patient group, these parameters reached the reference values; in late RA, there were their average decreases by 1.7 (p < 0.01), 1.3 (p < 0.01), and 1.8 (p < 0.05) times, respectively.Conclusion. MT therapy has vasoprotective activity, which is characterized by a reduction in the signs of CCA remodeling and regional stiffness in the vascular bed

EFFECT OF SUBCUTANEOUS METHOTREXATE ON THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE VASCULAR WALL IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Objective: to evaluate the effect of a subcutaneous methotrexate (MT) formulation (methoject), on the structure and function of the vascular wall in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Subjects and methods. A total of 94 RA patients who met the 1987 ACR or 2010 ACR/EULAR classification criteria and who were positive for IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) and/or anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA) were examined. Carotid arteries were examined to assesslocal vascular wall stiffness, regional arterial stiffness and pulse wave velocity before and 12 months after start of MT therapy.Results and discussion. The patients with RA were found to have subclinical great artery lesion manifesting itself as increases in common carotid artery (CCA) intima-media thickness (IMT) and stiffness index and as rises in peripheral augmentation index (AIp), stiffness index (SI), and reflection index (RI), the values of which correlated with the duration of RA, DAS28, the level of RF, and the concentration of ACPA. The use of MT in the patients with RA caused a statistically significant reduction in DAS28 and a decrease in CCA intima-media complex and local vascular (carotid) stiffness. More significant changes were observed when the duration of RA was less than 2 years; by the end of the follow up, this group showed a 29% decrease in CCA IMT (p < 0.01) and an average of 22.5% reduction in CCA stiffness (p < 0.05). 12-month MT therapy decreased AIp, SI, and RI valuesto a greater extent in the patients who had RA of less than 2 years; in this patient group, these parameters reached the reference values; in late RA, there were their average decreases by 1.7 (p < 0.01), 1.3 (p < 0.01), and 1.8 (p < 0.05) times, respectively.Conclusion. MT therapy has vasoprotective activity, which is characterized by a reduction in the signs of CCA remodeling and regional stiffness in the vascular bed

Development of Models for Assessing a Driver's Failure­free Operation in a Transportation System Under Conditions of Traffic Congestion

This paper has considered the task on determining a driver's failure-free operation in the transportation system of a city taking into account traffic jams. A driver's time of stay in traffic jams leads to an increase in his/her psycho-emotional condition, an increase in the level of fatigue, and, therefore, to a decrease in failure-free operation. The level of a driver's failure-free operation directly affects road safety. The driver's failure-free operation within the elements of a transport system determines the probability of a traffic accident, which depends not only on the network parameters and traffic flows but, first of all, on the response time of the driver.We have developed models for assessing a driver's failure-free operation along the sections of a transport network and transport nodal points taking into account traffic jams. They have made it possible to assess the probability of a traffic accident for the average driver. The models take into consideration the impact of a traffic jam by changing the response time of a driver, which is a function of changing the level of fatigue.To determine by how many times the probability of a traffic accident for the average driver along the sections of a transport network and in traffic nodes with a traffic jam exceeds the same probability along the same elements of the transport system without traffic jams, we considered the ratio of the probabilities.The adequacy of the models has been verified by comparing the ratio of the probabilities of a traffic accident with the traffic jam along the sections of a transport network and without it to the corresponding ratio of the number of traffic accidents along the same sections of a transport network and at intersections.The developed models that take into account traffic jams for assessing a driver's failure-free operation along the elements of a transport network make it possible to compare and evaluate various project solutions to improve road safet

Predictive scenarios of the russian oil industry; with a discussion on macro and micro dynamics of open innovation in the COVID 19 pandemic

The decrease in the economic activity level around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic spread has led to a sharp decrease in the crude oil price and provoked an oil war outbreak in the global energy market. The current situation has provoked the need for a total decrease in the crude oil production in the world. Considering that Russia is one of the main oil exporters on the world market, the need to determine the supply and demand levels for Russian oil is becoming relevant. The aim of the paper is to model predictive scenarios of Russian oil industry development, considering the specifics of the current economic environment given the COVID-19 pandemic. The multifactor correlation modeling method was used to form the system of indicators determining the level of demand and supply for Russian oil used and the total level of their influence. The functions determine the probability of implementing various scenarios of oil industry development depending on the predicted values of demand and supply. The three-sigma rule and the fuzzy sets method were used to estimate three scenarios of oil industry development for 2020-2021. Changes in revenues of the industry under the influence of forecast indicators of supply and demand for oil have been assessed and the probability of implementation of each of the scenarios has been reasoned. The results obtained are of a practical nature and can be used by government agencies, financial intermediaries, and scientists to diagnose Russian oil industry development. The results will be useful for oil companies to develop a strategy of open innovations for further design of the scientific information field for the effective functioning of the industry in complete uncertainty conditions. © 2020 by the authors

“Isotope effect” of hydrogen and deuterium interaction with vanadium alloys VCrTi

Abstract V-Ti-Cr vanadium alloys have many perspective applications, particularly, they are considered as a main structural material of the first wall and blanket of fusion reactor with lithium coolant. Also, they are used as a high-temperature membrane for hydrogen isotopes separation and effective sorbents for hydrogen purification installations by PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) adsorption method (under the control of sorbent surface composition). The use of vanadium alloys can be extremely interesting because of the possibility of hydrogen isotopes separation in hydrogen systems. The fact is that vanadium has unique properties with respect to hydrogen: protium atoms typically occupy octahedral interstices in vanadium bcc lattice, while the deuterium atoms - mainly tetrahedral interstices. That all considerably affects diffusion and solubility of hydrogen isotopes in vanadium. This paper presents the results of experiments on sorption of hydrogen isotopes with V4Cr4Ti vanadium alloy from a mixture of hydrogen isotopes. According to the obtained time dependence of hydrogen isotopes partial pressure change in gas mixture the following parameters were determined: rate of dissolution and heat of dissolution of hydrogen and deuterium in vanadium alloys V4Cr4Ti, V10Cr5Ti. The conclusion about the prospects of using vanadium alloys in storage systems, separation and purification was made