Dishes and utensils used in sacrificial rites of the Trans-Kama Udmurts (functional and symbolic meaning)

Introduction. The article considers the variety and functions of dishes and utensils used at the sacrificial rituals of Trans-Kama “pagans” Udmurts from the Republic of Bashkortostan and Perm Krai. This is the first attempt of using extensive field and archival materials for the research purposes. Materials and Methods. The material for the study represents the published and archival sources, ethnographic information collected the authors during many years of field research. The analysis of materials was carried out using a comparative-historical method. The article takes into account the theoretical approaches of the semiotic school in ethnology. Results and Discussion. In the object world of Udmurt sacrifices, a special place is occupied by dishes and utensils. Without them the ritual process involving the preparation of food and a joint meal is impossible. Various dishes (cauldrons, troughs, buckets, bowls, spoons, ladles, etc.) are used for their utilitarian purpose (cooking, storage, transportation, eating food, etc.) but inclusion in the ritual process endows them with symbolic functions. Conclusion. Dishes and utensils used at the sacrifices of the Trans-Kama Udmurts are still endowed with a high sacred status. The number, composition and methods of using ritual utensils have remained traditional but their forms, material and manufacturing method have changed. As before, in addition to being used for utilitarian purposes they are endowed with many symbolic functions.

Development of an Approach for Determining the Effectiveness of Inhibition of Paraffin Deposition on the Wax Flow Loop Laboratory Installation

The formation of wax deposits is a common phenomenon in the production and transportation of formation fluids. On the territory of the Perm Krai, this problem occurs in half of the mining funds. One of the most common and promising methods of dealing with these deposits is the use of inhibitor regents. The most popular technique for assessing the effectiveness of a wax inhibitor is the «Cold Finger», which has a number of significant drawbacks. This work presents a number of methods for assessing the effectiveness of inhibition of paraffin formation on the laboratory installation «WaxFlowLoop». A number of laboratory studies have been carried out to determine the effectiveness of a paraffin deposition inhibitor for inhibiting the paraffin formation process of four target fluids. Verification of the obtained values was carried out by comparing them with the field data. As a result of laboratory studies, it was found that the value of the inhibitor efficiency, determined by the «Cold Finger» method, differs from the field data by an average of 2 times. At the same time, the average deviation of the results determined at the «WaxFlowLoop» installation from the field data is 8.1%. The correct selection of a paraffin deposition inhibitor and its dosage can significantly increase the inter-treatment period of the well, thereby reducing its maintenance costs and increasing the efficiency of well operation.

Natural Phenomena, Geoactive Zones and Their Use in Landscape Design

The research was carried out in the Vishersky Nature Reserve and in the adjacent territories (Perm Krai). We used methods of phyto- and bioindication and decoding of satellite images with the allocation of 8 types of geoactive zones with diameters 1, 3, 8, 16, 32, 55, 76 and 110 m. Such zones are favorable for biota and are studied by the biolocation method, the data of which have been confirmed by contact photography since 2009. It is shown that the studied 25 natural phenomena were formed on a combination of 2-3 “junior” zones with dimensions of 1–8 m when they were placed inside 2–3 “senior” zones with a size of 16–110 m. A hypothesis is put forward explaining the appearance of natural phenomena by the action of the Earth’s energies and their synergetic when radiating through geoactive zones. Distances from the centers of zones forming comfortable belts in the form of rings for biota are recommended for use in landscape design. For the most numerous zones of 1 and 3 m in size, this belt is located between radii of 0.31–0.48 m. For a zone of 8 m in size, the comfort ring is located between radii of 0.91–3.20 m; for a zone of 16 m — within a radius of 1.45 m and further to the zone border; for a zone of 32 m — from 1.75 m and to its border. For large zones 55, 76 and 110 m, they are determined from single observations and start from about a distance of 5.3 m; at the same time, there are additional belts identified in space images. The use of comfort rings of geoactive zones will help to create compositions of trees and shrubs directly on the rocks, as well as to grow different types of plants in dense biogroups.

Development of a Methodology and Software Package for Predicting the Formation of Organic Deposits Based on the Results of Laboratory Studies

One of the main problems in the oil industry is the fallout of asphaltene–resin–paraffin deposits (ARPDs) during oil production and transportation. The formation of organic deposits leads to reduced equipment life and reduced production. Currently, there is no single methodology for the numerical simulation of the ARPD dropout process. The aim of our work was to obtain a correlation dependence characterizing the rate of wax growth over time for oils in the Perm Krai, depending on temperature, pressure, and speed conditions. Experimental data for 20 oil samples were obtained using a Wax Flow Loop installation that simulates fluid movement in tubing. The developed correlation was tested in 154 wells. The results of numerical modeling of the paraffin precipitation process made it possible to correct the inter-treatment period of scraping for 109 wells (71%), indicating the high accuracy of the developed approach.

Pteridophyte distribution of the Urals and adjacent areas: a dataset

Data on the species diversity and distribution of pteridophytes (lycophytes and ferns) in the Urals and adjacent areas are presented. The dataset includes 13,742 observations of two classes Lycopodiopsida and Polypodiopsida. In total, the dataset contains information on 16 families, 28 generas, 65 species, four subspecies and nine interspecies hybrids. All records are for lycophytes and ferns collected over 170 years between 1853 and 2021. The dataset presented is based on herbarium specimens, published data and field research conducted by the authors. This dataset is the first and important step towards generalising information on the current diversity and geographical distribution of pteridophytes in the Urals and adjacent areas. The dataset contains 13,742 records of 65 species of pteridophytes occurrences in the Urals and adjacent territories: Udmurt Republic (42,100 km2); Perm Krai (160,600 km2); Sverdlovsk Oblast (194,800 km2); Chelyabinsk Oblast (87,900 km2); Republic of Bashkortostan (143,600 km2); Tyumen Oblast (160,100 km2); Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (769,300 km2); Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug (534,800km2) and Kurgan Oblast (71,500 km2). Each record includes a geographical description of the place of discovery and habitat, year of discovery, author of the finding and determination, as well as a link to a literary source (if the data were published) or the place of storage of the herbarium specimen. The presented dataset supplements the information on the occurrence of pteridophytes in the Russian Federation as a whole and clarifies their distribution in the Urals.

Features of depopulation in perm krai: state and trends

Objective. To study the features of depopulation in Perm Krai. Materials and methods. The data of Perm Krai official statistics for 20052019 were used; dynamics of vital rate compared to mean indicators in the Russian Federation were studied. Results. Since 2005 to 2019, the population in Perm Krai decreased by 5.7 %, whereas in the Russian Federation for the same period it grew by 2.1 % at the expense of migration processes; birth rate in Perm Krai reduced by 6.4 %; mortality rate in Perm Krai is 13.23 %. There is a growth trend of the natural population loss in both Perm Krai and the Russian Federation. Conclusions. In Perm Krai, there is observed an unfavorable demographic situation, which is characterized by a continuing decrease in the population and natural population loss. To improve the demographic situation in Perm Krai, it is expedient to develop a complex of measures directed to reduction of mortality, stimulation of birth rate, support of families with children as well as restoration of traditional family values and moral principles.

Changes in the number and composition of pensioners in the Perm Krai

Subject. This article discusses the issues related to the optimization of the pension system and increasing the level of socioeconomic well-being of the population. Objectives. The article aims to substantiate the areas of optimization of socioeconomic development of the Perm Krai. Methods. For the study, I used the methods of analysis, synthesis, and generalization. Results. The article assesses the changes in the number and composition of pensioners of the Perm Krai. As the main problem, it denotes a decline in the number of people employed in the economy per pensioner. This is a sign of an increase in the socioeconomic burden on the population and economic entities of the Krai. Conclusions. The indicated trends in the formation of the number and composition of pensioners of the Perm Krai correspond to the all-Russian practice and confirm the negative impact of raising the retirement age on socioeconomic processes.

Conditions for Effective Application of the Decline Curve Analysis Method

Determining the reliable values of the filtration parameters of productive reservoirs is the most important task in monitoring the processes of reserve production. Hydrodynamic studies of wells by the pressure build-up method, as well as a modern method based on production curve analysis (Decline Curve Analysis (DCA)), are some of the effective methods for solving this problem. This paper is devoted to assessing the reliability of these two methods in determining the filtration parameters of terrigenous and carbonaceous productive deposits of oil fields in the Perm Krai. The materials of 150 conditioned and highly informative (obtained using high-precision depth instruments) studies of wells were used to solve this problem, including 100 studies conducted in terrigenous reservoirs (C1v) and 50 carried out in carbonate reservoirs (C2b). To solve the problem, an effective tool was used—multivariate regression analysis. This approach is new and has not been previously used to assess the reliability of determining the filtration parameters of reservoir systems by different research methods. With its use, a series of statistical models with varying degrees of detail was built. A series of multivariate mathematical models of well flow rates using the filtration parameters determined for each of the methods is constructed. The inclusion or non-inclusion of these filtration parameters in the resulting flow rate models allows us to give a reasonable assessment of the possibility of using the pressure build-up method and the DCA method. All the constructed models are characterized by high statistical estimates: in all cases, a high value of the determination coefficient was obtained, and the probability of an error in all cases was significantly less than 5%. As applied to the fields under consideration, it was found that both methods demonstrate stable results in terrigenous reservoirs. The permeability determined by the DCA method and the pressure build-up curve does not control the flow of the fluid in carbonate reservoirs, which proves the complexity of the filtration processes occurring in them. The DCA method is recommended for use to determine the permeability and skin factor in the conditions of terrigenous reservoirs.

Genetic Approach to Assessing the Infrastructure Coherence of an Industrial Region

In the context of external shocks, socio-economic coherence of an industrial region reflects its ability to function successfully. Many researchers examine economic space, focusing on interaction between entities (including infrastructure) while ignoring territorial boundaries. However, it is necessary to consider a region’s endogenous core, whose historically connected elements generate evolutionary changes under the influence of external factors. This study develops tools to assess regional infrastructure coherence, taking into account the endogenous determinants of its socio-economic development. The research methodology includes: a comparison of absolute and relative territorial characteristics and infrastructure development parameters; statistical, economic and mathematical methods for determining and evaluating the resulting indicators; an expert assessment of the infrastructure potential; a matrix method for identifying the depth of infrastructure gaps. An analysis of Sverdlovsk oblast and neighbouring regions revealed infrastructure gaps of the first level of depth (insignificant, significant, stably significant), violating the integrity of the regional core, as well as gaps of the second level of depth (forming, potentially forming), requiring serious transformations of the core elements. The con ducted research determined the infrastructure coherence characteristics of the regional core. Thus, the most favourable situation is in Sverdlovsk oblast, whose core has strong integrity. The most unfavourable situation is observed in Perm Krai and Khanty- Mansi Autonomous Okrug. Perm Krai’s core is characterised by minor gaps of the first level of depth and potential second level gaps. In Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, significant first level gaps are already established, while second level gaps are still forming. This situation occurred due to the industrial specificity of these regions, as well as the discrepancy between high economic activity (increasing the demand for transport services) and infrastructure development. Further research will focus on the ways to improve the regional connectivity at the intra- and inter-regional levels.