Innovative competitiveness of russian regions

The article analyses the competitive challenges of Russian regional economies and proposes ways of selecting competitive priorities. The author assumes that selection of priorities for improving a region’s innovative competitiveness should involve not only its innovative R&D potential but also the effects that innovative and socio-economic development of the regions have on each other. This is because a region’s innovative competitiveness manifests itself in both its ability to create innovation and its increased resistance based on such innovation, and, therefore, it is closely related to its industrial and technological type from the outset. The analysis of research and innovative potentials of Russian regions shows that their innovative competitiveness has been deteriorating largely for the reason that modern Russia lacks any significant groups of political influence whose interests would be closely related to the development of the engineering industry, high technologies, and restoration of a sound industrial structure. The article shows mutual dependence between the socially required level of support to the regions’ innovative competitiveness and the innovation requirements of the industries with prevailing levels of technological efficiency. The author proposes a methodological approach to the selection of priorities for increasing the innovative competitiveness of Russian regions. Such priorities should take into account maintenance and enhancement of the research and innovative potentials of the country, on the one hand, and the need to improve regions’ sustainability, on the other hand. With the contemporary statistic base in mind, the author has created an integrated development priority index for regional innovation centers intended to increase the resistance of the manufacturers with various research intensity levels. The article rates Russian regions according to the technological complexity (high, mid, low, resource-extracting) required by the innovation centers to be created taking metallurgy as an example. The author suggests ways to increase the innovative competitiveness of Russian regions of various industrial and technological types. The article is intended for experts in theoretical and practical management of innovation.The article has been prepared with the support of the Russian Humanitarian Science Foundation, Project 14-02-00331 "Region’s Innovative and Technological Development: Assessment, Projections, and Ways of Progressing.

The formation of nodular structures in the top layer of ultrafiltration membranes

The formation of nodular structures in the top layer of ultrafiltration membranes is considered. A critical review of mechanisms described in the literature is given. Flat-sheet poly(ether sulfone) membranes and hollow-fiber poly(ether sulfone)/polyvinylpyrrolidone membranes were made by coagulation of a polymer solution in a nonsolvent medium under different circumstances. From these experiments, a number of empirical rules are found to describe the resulting morphology of the top layer. A new mechanism for the formation of a nodular structure is proposed. It is based on the small diffusion coefficient of the polymer molecules compared to the diffusion coefficient of solvent and nonsolvent combined with a high degree of entanglement of the polymer network. For unstable compositions, phase separation will proceed by growth in amplitude of concentration fluctuations. The rapid diffusional exchange of solvent for nonsolvent in the top layer leads to vitrification of the maxima of the concentration fluctuations that form the nodules. Complete disentanglement of the polymer chains between the nodules is not reached, which explains the small pores and the low porosity of ultrafiltration membranes

A Reason for Sophisticated Investors not to seize Arbitrage Opportunities in Markets without Frictions

An example shows that for sophisticated consumers with changing preferences it can be perfectly rational not to seize arbitrage opportunities in markets without frictions.financial economics and financial management ;

Pre-Harvest light intensity affects shelf-Life of fresh-cut lettuce

The industry of fresh-cut produce is continuously growing due to increasing demand for fresh, healthy and convenient foods. However, processing of vegetables accelerates quality deterioration due to structural, physiological and biochemical changes. Therefore, the value of the produce to the consumer is decreased by negative changes in appearance, texture, flavor and nutritional value. Cultivation practices, such as nitrogen application, light and temperature regimes and, the choice of varieties with a higher resistance to processing might greatly influence the postharvest characteristics of lettuce. In this study, the effect of light intensity during growth on shelf-life of fresh-cut lettuce was examined in different varieties. Plants were grown under controlled environmental conditions with day/night temperature 20°C/15°C, relative humidity of 70% and high (250 µmol m-2 s-1) or moderate (120 µmol m-2 s-1) photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) provided by white fluorescent tubes, with a 12h photoperiod. The shelf-life of plants grown under high light was two-fold that of the plants grown under moderate light. The level of leaf chlorophyll differed between light treatments and varieties. The variety with highest pre-harvest chlorophyll content had the shortest shelf life under both light conditions. The shelf life data are supported by chlorophyll fluorescence images indicating that the latter technique may be used as a quality evaluation tool

Current trends in the use of residential child care in Scotland

The survey was planned to examine how local authority residential care units were currently being used and to provide data relating to current issues in the use of residential child care. These issues were identified by Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care (SIRCC) staff as they provided training and development work with agencies across Scotland, and others have been part of wider professional and political concerns. They include matters such as the increasing numbers of children being admitted to care because of parentaldrug misuse. There is also anecdotal evidence about increasing numbers of seriously disturbed younger children having to be admitted to residential care because their difficulties preclude them being cared for in a foster home placement, or who had experienced a number of foster placement breakdowns. SIRCC provides a ‘Placement Information Service’ and over the past few years there has been a steady stream of enquiries from social workers looking for a ‘therapeutic placement’ for a younger child. There were also reports of sibling groups still being regularly split up on admission due to lack of places and a general reporting of a shortage of places. Noteworthy also has been the continued high level of emergency placements. As there has been a gradual reduction in residential places over the past 10 to15 years and as residential care is perceived to be an expensive resource it is important to understand what kinds of admissions are putting such pressure on existing resources. The survey therefore requested information about a wide range of topics related to admission to residential care including: age at admission length of stay; previous placement; whether placement was planned or not;whether siblings groups were kept together or not; whether the child was in full-time education or not; the reasons for admission including parental drug misuse; whether the placement was the placement of choice of the socialworker or residential services manager. The survey also asked respondents to give a broad measure of the effectiveness of the placement. It was hoped that the data might supplement the Looked After Children (LAC) statistics that are published annually by the Scottish Executive (SE), based onreturns from local authorities

Three strong women : from care to university

Poor educational 'outcomes' of looked after children have been a matter of increasing concern. This article explores some of the factors that might make for educational success by looking at the experiences of three young women who have been in care in Scotland and who have since progressed to university. By exploring these three stories, it is hoped that practitioners and researchers will gain a helpful insight into the crucial factors for them as individuals

Home oxygen for children: who, how and when?

A review of the specific requirements of home oxygen therapy in children which attempts to offer guidance to clinicians and service providers