Foreign trade and marketing processes in the context of sustainable development

Purpose: The article aims to study foreign economic and trade relations between the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the CIS and the Western European countries. In addition, the study improves forms of foreign economic cooperation between the countries and suggests the stages of its implementation in the integration group. Design/Methodology/Approach: Central and Eastern European countries are experiencing the increase and acceleration of the labour migration to Western European countries, which has a negative impact on their medium-and long-term development. As a theoretical and methodological basis, the article uses historical-logical, dialectical principles and contradictions, the method of the scientific abstraction. The process-system approach, which was used in the study of foreign economic relations between the partner countries, gained special importance in the argument of the need to implement stages. Findings: Authors presented the form of the foreign economic cooperation between the countries as the geostrategic economic block and the stages of its implementation. As the study shows, these stages will help to smooth out the economic inequality between the Central and Eastern regions of Europe and Western European countries. Practical implications: In practice, authors investigate the phased implementation of the geostrategic economic bloc form, which will reduce inequality between the partner countries of the European Union. Originality/Value: The economic inequality between developed and developing countries of the European Union is increasing every year, which can lead to the transformation of the integration group, so it is necessary to develop new forms and mechanisms of foreign economic relations between the partner countries.peer-reviewe

Residents’ interest to form a “green” territory brand

The main aim of this article is to examine the residents’ interest of a region to form a territorial “green” brand. It refers to the region of Rostov where there is a continuous attempt to develop the territory based on sustainable green initiatives. The article reveals if the residents are aware on the authorities’ efforts and how the population supports the initiatives as well as how active the residents are to develop the territory. The results of this research allow to forecast the success of the “green” brand formation with certain correction of the priorities concerning the informational and communication work to explain the significance of the given process to the residents and possibly the improvement of the population’s standard of living.peer-reviewe

Distribution and Peculiarities of Allometric Growth of Larval Illex in the Northwest Atlantic

The Illex larvae inhabit the epipelagial of the shelf waters, the continental slope and the Gulf Stream where the temperature and salinity range from 11.2 to 20.10°C and from 34.50 to 36.56%, respectively. The largest recorded aggregations were in the continental slope area of the Mid Atlantic Bight (MAB) between 35° and 38°N, and in the northern periphery of the Gulf Stream to 65°w. Illex illecebrosus spawn in the pelagial of the continentalslope between. the Florida Peninsula and 40°N. The spawning periodextends from September to May, with December-February as peak spawning months. Egg masses found in the spawning ground have a positive bouyancy

THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE FOR PATIENTS WITH ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS: RECOMMENDATIONS AND REALITY

Objective. To study how the patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) follow recommendations for performing physi- cal exercises. Material and methods. To clarify the compliance of patients with AC to physical exercise, a special questionnaire was designed. The Exercise Benefits/Barriers Scale (EBBS) was used to assess the perception of physical exercises. The study included 79 patients (the mean age of 34.5 ± 9.4 years) with AS (diagnosed according to the New York criteria) who have been treated at the clinic of V.A. Nasonova Research Institute of Rheumatology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. Results. Of the 79 patients included in the study, 77.2% were doing therapeutic exercises; 41.0% of patients were doing them every day. 41.0% of the patients have received sets of exercises from the attending doctor, 41.0 % from the Internet, and 18.0% from other sources (brochures for patients or courses for patients with AS). The average total EEBS score was 114.2 ± 17.8 points; the benefits score was 87.1 ± 12.8; and the barriers score was 27.1 ± 5.0. The most frequent responses to question about the benefits of physical exercises were as follows: «They reduce the feeling of stress and tension» (90.6%) and «They increase the muscle strength» (93.7%). «I am tired physically from doing exercises» (96.6%) was the most common barrier to execution of physical exercises. Conclusion. Despite the positive perception of physical exercises, only 41.0% of the patients with AS have done them every day. The lack of information about exercises recommended for AS patients, the frequency of their use, the effect on the disease activity and functionality significantly limits the use of exercises by patients with AS. It remains unclear exactly, which sets of exercises are most effective and what regularity of exercises should be used to prevent impair- ment of the functions of the spine and joints

Parameters of adaptability and stability of winter durum wheat varieties according to various forecrops in the Rostov region

The article summarizes the study results of adaptability parameters of winter durum wheat depending on its forecrop. The study was carried out in the Rostov region in 2015-2017. As the objects of the study there have been used 8 winter durum wheat varieties ‘Donchanka’, ‘Amazonka’, ‘Agat Donskoy’, ‘Kristella’, ‘Lazurit’, ‘Oniks’, ‘Diona’ and ‘Eyrena’. The variety ‘Donchanka’ was taken as a standard variety. In the field trials the varieties were sown after weedfree and green fallows, and after such forecrops as peas, sunflower and maize for grain. The obtained data showed that green fallow was the most favorable forecrop for winter durum wheat, an average yield of which was 7.69 t/ha. When sown after various forecrops, all varieties had different adaptability parameters. The best forecrops were weedfree fallow (‘Kristella’ with 7.78 t/ha, ‘Lazurite’ with 7.74 t/ha), green fallow (‘Agat Donskoy’ with 8.30 t/ha, ‘Lazurit’ with 8.46 t/ha) and peas (‘Oniks’ with 7.41 t/ha, ‘Diona’ with 8.11 t/ha). Among the whole set of the varieties, the variety ‘Agat Donskoy’ (bi>1) proved to be the most highly responsive, while maintaining in most cases high stable yields (si2 <1), productivity of the varieties sown after all forecrops, except sunflower, was 6.93-8.30 t/ha. With productivity increase of 1 t/ha, it improved its indicator (bi) by 1.16-5.15 t/ha. The variety ‘Eyrena’ is recommended for cultivation on an extensive background, since through the years of study it turned out to be the least responsive - with productivity increase by 1 t/ha, it improved its indicator (bi) by 0.01-0.55 t/ha after such forecrops as peas, sunflower and maize for silage

Control of primary productivity and the significance of photosynthetic bacteria in a meromictic kettle lake.

During 1986 planktonic primary production and controlling factors were investigated in a small (A0 = 11.8 · 103 m2, Zmax = 11.5 m) meromictic kettle lake (Mittlerer Buchensee). Annual phytoplankton productivity was estimated to ca 120 gC · m–2 · a–1 (1,42 tC · lake–1 · a–1). The marked thermal stratification of the lake led to irregular vertical distributions of chlorophylla concentrations (Chla) and, to a minor extent, of photosynthesis (Az). Between the depths of 0 to 6 m low Chla concentrations (< 7 mg · m–3) and comparatively high background light attenuation (kw = 0,525 m–1, 77% of total attenuation due to gelbstoff and abioseston) was found. As a consequence, light absorption by algae was low (mean value 17,4%) and self-shading was absent. Because of the small seasonal variation of Chla concentrations, no significant correlation between Chla and areal photosynthesis (A) was observed. Only in early summer (June–July) biomass appears to influence the vertical distribution of photosynthesis on a bigger scale. Around 8 m depth, low-light adapted algae and phototrophic bacteria formed dense layers. Due to low ambient irradiances, the contribution of these organisms to total primary productivity was small. Primary production and incident irradiance were significantly correlated with each other (r2 = 0.68). Although the maximum assimilation number (Popt) showed a clear dependence upon water temperature (Q10 = 2.31), the latter was of minor importance to areal photosynthesis

Pathological and ecological host consequences of infection by an introduced fish parasite

The infection consequences of the introduced cestode fish parasite Bothriocephalus acheilognathi were studied in a cohort of wild, young-of-the-year common carp Cyprinus carpio that lacked co-evolution with the parasite. Within the cohort, parasite prevalence was 42% and parasite burdens were up to 12% body weight. Pathological changes within the intestinal tract of parasitized carp included distension of the gut wall, epithelial compression and degeneration, pressure necrosis and varied inflammatory changes. These were most pronounced in regions containing the largest proportion of mature proglottids. Although the body lengths of parasitized and non-parasitized fish were not significantly different, parasitized fish were of lower body condition and reduced weight compared to non-parasitized conspecifics. Stable isotope analysis (δ15N and δ13C) revealed trophic impacts associated with infection, particularly for δ15N where values for parasitized fish were significantly reduced as their parasite burden increased. In a controlled aquarium environment where the fish were fed ad libitum on an identical food source, there was no significant difference in values of δ15N and δ13C between parasitized and non-parasitized fish. The growth consequences remained, however, with parasitized fish growing significantly slower than non-parasitized fish, with their feeding rate (items s−1) also significantly lower. Thus, infection by an introduced parasite had multiple pathological, ecological and trophic impacts on a host with no experience of the parasite

Bone mineral density in patients with early axial spondyloarthritis

Objective: to study bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine (LS) and femoral neck (FN) in patients with early axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) and to reveal its association with inflammatory disease activity.Subjects and methods. Seventy-three patients aged 18–45 years with inflammatory back pain lasting at least 3 months and not more than 5 years were examined. Axial SpA was diagnosed according to the 2009 ASAS criteria. BASDAI and ASDAS C-reactive protein (CRP) values were used to estimate disease activity; BASFI was employed to evaluate functional status. The examination encompassed determination of HLA-B27, X-ray of the pelvis and LS, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of sacroiliac joints, LS, and hip joints (in the presence of clinical signs of their injuries), densitometry of LS (LI-IV) and FN. By taking into account the young age of patients, the Z-score was applied to measure BMD. The latter is considered lower if the Z-score is 1–2 standard deviations (SD) in at least one of the segments under study.Results. The median Z-score was -0.7 (-1.3; -0.3) SD for FN and 0.9 (-1.6; -0.5) SD for LS. Reduced BMD in at least one of the segments under study was detected in 13 (17.8%) patients: that in LS and FN in 11 (15.1%) and 5 (6.8%) patients, respectively. Lower BMD was observed in two segments in 3 (4.1%) patients. No association was found between lower BMD and age, gender, disease activity (BASDAI, ASDAS), and laboratory inflammatory markers (erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and CRP). A relationship was established between inflammatory changes according to the data of MRI of LS (MRI spondylitis) and reduced BMD in the same segment. MRI spondylitis was detected in 8 patients. Five and 3 patients with spondylitis of LS were found to have lower and normal BMD in this segment, respectively. Six out of 65 patients without MRI spondylitis in LS had its reduced BMD and the remaining (n=59) patients had its normal BMD (p=0.0014).Conclusion. There was an association between the active inflammatory changes as evidenced by LS MRI and the reduced BMD in this segment of the axial skeleton. Our data validate the hypothesis that in early axial SpA, bone is lost in the vertebral bodies due to local inflammation

ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ ВИКОРИСТАННЯ SMART-СТРАТЕГІЇ В РОЗВИТКУ ПІСЛЯДИПЛОМНОЇ МЕДИЧНОЇ ОСВІТИ

The main principles and prospects for using the new education strategy, which was named by SMART, are considered. It is shown that the most important principle of medical postgraduate SMART-education is to ensure its competence-oriented orientation, that is, constant updating of the content of training. It is emphasized that the solutions to the problems of SMART education are related to two areas: the recognition of the need to combine formal and informal learning and the intellectualization of knowledge transfer processes.Рассмотрены основные принципы и перспективы использования новой стратегии образования, которая получила название SMART. Показано, что важнейшим принципом медицинского последипломного SMART-образования является обеспечение его компетентностной ориентированности, то есть постоянное обновление содержания обучения. Подчеркивается, что решение проблем SMART-образования связано с двумя направлениями: признанием необходимости объединения формального и информального обучения и интеллектуализацией процессов передачи знаний.Розглянуто основні принципи та перспективи використання нової стратегії освіти, що здобула назву SMART. Показано, що найважливішим принципом медичної післядипломної SMART-освіти є забезпечення її компетентнісної орієнтованості, тобто постійного оновлення змісту навчання. Підкреслюється, що рішення проблем SMART-освіти пов'язано з двома напрямами: визнанням необхідності об'єднання формального й інформального навчання та інтелектуалізацією процесів передавання знань