EFFICIENCY EVALUATION OF ACTIVITY OF THE RUSSIAN PUBLIC COMPANIES IN THE CONDITIONS OF ACTIVE REGULATION OF OPERATING COSTS AND EXTERNAL EFFECTS (SHOCKS)

The author considers influences of active regulation of operating costs and negative effects (shocks) on financial policy of the Russian public companies. The Russian firms make the choice for benefit of internal financing for the purpose of increase in the corporate benefit in the conditions of external financial restrictions (sectoral sanctions). Growth of the corporate benefit leads to increment of company assets and respectively to welfare of the shareholder. The Russian public companies will review the capital structure in the conditions of growth of adjustment costs. The active policy of the Russian companies is connected with availability of sufficient size of assets which are source of mortgage providing for regulation of capital structure. Thereby, the organization solves problem of adverse selection – financing source selection taking into account its price. The companies are forced to regulate actively the capital structure in the conditions of growth of operating costs and negative shocks. Regulation of capital structure is connected with the aspiration of the company to keep part of debt for its use as financing source. Operating costs are the indicator estimating efficiency of management decisions. The Russian companies will finance the investments, first of all, by internal financing sources. Cash flows are the resource servicing the investment capital. The firms will be attracted the loan capital in the period of deficit of cash flow. The Russian companies will work in logic of precautionary motive, creating monetary stock in the conditions of shocks. The precautionary motive is the protective buffer from negative impacts from the capital markets. Low values of cash flows allow to limit the management concerning his illegal behavior – decision making in private interests.

Associations between the thyroid panel and serum protein concentrations across pregnancy

Establishing any characteristic associations between the serum parameters of thyroid function and serum proteins in pregnancy may aid in elucidating the role of the thyroid gland in the regulation of pregnancy-specific metabolic processes and in selecting candidate biomarkers for use in their clinical assessment. Concentrations of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free tri-iodothyronine (fT3) and free thyroxine (fT4), six electrophoretically separated protein fractions (albumin, alpha-1-, alpha2-, beta-1-, beta-2- and gamma-globulins), representative proteins—albumin (ALB), transferrin (TRF), alpha-2-macroglobulin (AMG) and ceruloplasmin (CER) were measured in 136 serum samples from 65 women in their consecutive trimesters of pregnancy. The concentrations of TSH, fT4 and fT3 were significantly correlated (p < 0.05) with the concentrations of the albumin, alpha-2- and beta-1 globulin fractions. Significant correlations (p < 0.05) which were positive between fT4 and ALB and negative between fT4 and TRF were established throughout pregnancy. Significant negative correlations (p < 0.05) were demonstrated for fT3 with alpha-2-globulin, AMG and CER. Changes in the serum concentrations of thyroid hormones seen between the trimesters were found to correlate with the concentrations of high-abundance serum proteins. Opposite directions of correlations between fT4 and ALB and fT4 and TRF observed throughout pregnancy may indicate the shared biological role of these parameters in maintaining maternal homeostasis and they suggest their potential use in the clinic as a simple biomarker panel. A negative correlation of fT3 with CER in the second trimester possibly reflects their involvement in the active regulation of metabolic processes.

Determination of the Natural Frequency of the Model Spindle System with Active Regulation of the Initial Tension of the Bearings

This article presents a test stand with a model high-speed spindle equipped with a system of active control of the preload of the bearings. This preload was changed by means of three piezo actuators. The work presents the results of tests during which the commercial Abacus measuring equipment from Data Physics was used. Its application has shown that the spindle system with angular contact ball bearings is responsive to changes in the preload value of these bearings. The change preload resulted in a change in the value of the resonant frequency of the system and its amplitude. This article presents the dependence between the variable value of the preload of the bearings and the corresponding values of the resonance frequency and amplitude of the spindle system. The use of the Abacus measuring equipment for testing allowed for the preparation of a model showing the dynamic behavior of the spindle. The system was forced by a signal with known parameters, and the response to this excitation was recorded at eleven points located on the surface of the entire spindle.

Kdm3b haploinsufficiency impairs the consolidation of cerebellum-dependent motor memory in mice

Histone modifications are a key mechanism underlying the epigenetic regulation of gene expression, which is critically involved in the consolidation of multiple forms of memory. However, the roles of histone modifications in cerebellum-dependent motor learning and memory are not well understood. To test whether changes in histone methylation are involved in cerebellar learning, we used heterozygous Kdm3b knockout (Kdm3b+/−) mice, which show reduced lysine 9 on histone 3 (H3K9) demethylase activity. H3K9 di-methylation is significantly increased selectively in the granule cell layer of the cerebellum of Kdm3b+/− mice. In the cerebellum-dependent optokinetic response (OKR) learning, Kdm3b+/− mice show deficits in memory consolidation, whereas they are normal in basal oculomotor performance and OKR acquisition. In addition, RNA-seq analyses revealed that the expression levels of several plasticity-related genes were altered in the mutant cerebellum. Our study suggests that active regulation of histone methylation is critical for the consolidation of cerebellar motor memory.

The Governance Conundrum of Powered Micromobility Devices: An In-Depth Case Study from Singapore

With the widespread adoption of powered micromobility devices like e-scooters for transportation in recent times, there have been many associated and potentially unknown risks. While these devices have been beneficial for commuters, managing these technological risks has been a key challenge for governments. This article presents an in-depth case study of Singapore, where these devices were adopted but were eventually banned from footpaths and public paths. We focus on identifying the technological risks and the governing strategies adopted and find that the Singaporean government followed a combination of governing strategies to address the risks of safety, liability, and switching to another transportation mode. The strategy of banning the devices was undertaken after active regulation and prudent monitoring. Based on the Singapore case, we offer policy recommendations for robust infrastructure and policy capacity, government stewardship and inclusive participatory policymaking for safe deployment, and simultaneous adoption of governing strategies to adopt these devices. The regulatory lessons from the case of Singapore can be insightful for policy discussions in other countries that have already adopted or are considering the introduction of powered micromobility devices.

387 The moderating effect of emotion regulation strategies in the relationship between insomnia severity and bedtime procrastination

Introduction Bedtime Procrastination (BP) is defined as the behavior of going to bed later than intended, despite the absence of external factors. Bedtime procrastination is also prevalent among insomnia patients, and is associated with various sleep problems. Recent studies suggest emotional regulation as a mechanism of the procrastination behavior that is the conceptual foundation of bedtime procrastination. Emotional regulation difficulties are also associated with insomnia, but there is still a lack of research on the relationship between insomnia, emotional regulation strategies and bedtime procrastination. Thus, the study assumed that severity of insomnia would affect bedtime procrastination, and examined the moderating effect of the emotional regulation strategies in this relationship. Methods This study was conducted in 376 adults (mean age 23.73 ±2.14 years, 84.6% females). Participants were asked to answer Bedtime procrastination scale (BPS), an emotional regulation strategy checklist, and the Insomnia severity scale (ISI). Results As a result, a significant positive correlation was found between insomnia severity and bedtime procrastination (r=.286, p&lt;.01), and avoidant/distractive regulation style (r=.101, p&lt;.05). active regulation style (r=-.172, p&lt;.01) and support seeking regulation style (r=-.102, p&lt;.01) showed a significant negative correlation with the severity of insomnia. Bedtime procrastination behavior showed significant negative correlation only with active regulation style (r=-.151, p&lt;.01). Support seeking regulation style moderated the relationship between insomnia and bedtime procrastination behavior (B=.0165, 95%, CI=.0014, .0316). The interaction effect between insomnia and support seeking regulation style was also significant (∆R^2=.0112, p&lt;.05), indicating that the effect of insomnia on bedtime procrastination depends on the level of use of the support seeking regulation style. Conclusion These findings suggest that the level of support seeking regulation style is meaningful in terms of how insomnia affects bedtime procrastination. Support (if any) This work was supported by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF-2018S1A5A8026807)

AVAILABILITY OF NON-BEVERAGE ALCOHOLS IN RUSSIA IN 2015-2020: WERE CONTROL POLICIES IMPLEMENTED SINCE 2005 EFFECTIVE?

Consumption of non-beverage alcohol is an important aspect of hazardous drinking, impacting mortality from various causes of death. Since 2005, non-beverage alcohols in Russia have been the subject of active regulation to control their consumption for drinking. This study was purported to determine whether non-beverage alcohols were available in Russia in 2015–2020 to assess the effectiveness of implemented control policies. During the first wave of the survey between 2015 and 2017, 50 Russian cities of various sizes, types, and locations were surveyed. The second wave was conducted between 2018 and 2020 in 5 cities, which were surveyed during the first wave. Fieldworkers visited various retail outlets and purchased samples of non-beverage alcohols: spirituous liquids with an ethanol content of at least 60% by volume sold at a price of less than 45 roubles per bottle ($0.57, €0.49, £0.44). Up until 2016 various types of non-beverage alcohols known as consumed for drinking were available in retail. The availability of these alcohols differed between cities depending on the level of local enforcement of control regulations. The regulations enacted in response to the 2016 Irkutsk outbreak of mass alcohol poisonings, caused by the consumption of methanol containing fake bath additive “Hawthorn”, removed from the market several types of non-beverage alcohols, significantly reducing their availability since 2017. However, low-cost ethanol sources, such as medicinal tinctures, antiseptics, not denatured eau-de-colognes, remained available in 2017-2020, while new sorts of cheap non-beverage alcohols suitable for drinking were introduced to the market (antiseptics for veterinary use, anti-SARS-CoV-2 hand sanitizers). Illegal alcoholic beverages commonly produced from diverted pharmaceutical/medicinal ethanol were also available in retail networks selling non-beverage alcohols. Since 2005, policies implemented and especially those reinforced and newly enacted in 2017 and later in response to the 2016 Irkutsk outbreak, may have indeed reduced the physical availability of non-beverage alcohols. However, more decisive action is still required to prevent consumption of newly appearing and existing specific sorts of non-beverage alcohols and illegal alcoholic beverages, which are commonly produced from the licit or diverted from the legal market unrecorded illicit pharmaceutical/medicinal ethanol.

FEATURES OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE HORMONES OF THE THYROTRO-PIN-THYROID SYSTEM IN THE BODY YOUNG PIGS OF DIFFERENT SEXES AND BREEDS

The assessment of the state of the thyrotropin-thyroid system in the body of young pigs in the context of sexual dimorphism and different breeds in specific economic conditions is given. It was found that the concentration of TTG, T3 and T4 in the blood of pigs varies in the range of 0.83±0.18-1.07±0.10 mMU/l, 5.76±0.33-7.14±0.41 and 26.82±2.90-28.73±0.93 pmol/l, boars 0.02±0.01-0.03±0.01 mMU/l, 7.50±0.25-9.24±0.34 and 25.74±4.63-31.67±2.43 pmol/l. The concen-tration of TTG and thyroxine is statistically significantly correlated in pigs at the level of r(TTG-T4)= 0,56±0,16 - 0,89±0,05, hryachkov r(TTG-T4)= 0,76±0,23 - 0,83±0,25). In a pair of TTG – T3 signs, the correlation coefficients are equal in pigs r(TTG-T3)= 0,47±0,09 - 0,51±0,17, hryachkov r(TTG-T3)= 0,49±0,39 - 0,64±0,54. Regulation in the TTG-T4 hormone pair, regardless of gender and breed of animals, is carried out on the principle of positive feedback (the higher the level of TTG in the blood, the greater the concentration of thyroxine). Functional communication in the TTG-T3 pair in the body of pigs and boars within the physiological scale of TSH concentrations is supported by the principle of direct and feedback, as well as the principle of "active regulation of vegetative func-tions".