Kaliningrad Region Research Articles

Concomitant infections in children with allergic pathology in the Kaliningrad region

The aim of our work was to study the structure and prevalence of the infectious syndrome in children from Kaliningrad Region with moderate-to-severe allergic pathology, with a complex manifestations of allergic reactions, both on skin and on the mucous membranes of the digestive and respiratory tract.
 Ninety children from 0 to 18 years old with various symptoms of allergic pathology were examined and included in the study group using standard clinical, objective and laboratory criteria. The severity of clinical course was associated with the severe and long-lasting symptoms, as well as with frequent bacterial and bacterial-fungal complications, with impaired quality of life and night sleep. The children were consulted by the specialists in otorhinolaryngology, hematology, pulmonology, surgery, ophthalmology, infectology, endocrinology, cardiology. Diagnoses according to nosological forms were made in accordance with the current clinical recommendations of Russian Ministry of Health. Our article presents data on concomitant infectious diseases and their impact on general condition and severity of hypersensitive responses. The average age of allergic manifestations in the group of children was 3.12±2.72 years. The average duration of the disease in the observed group was 7.5±0.88 years. The number of boys in our group prevailed (n = 56) by 1.6 times. Complicated heredity factors were reported by 15% of the patients’ parents. However, with careful collection of medical history taking, upon dynamic observation, the aggravated heredity on the mother’s side was detected in 45.56% (n = 41), and on the father’s side, in 31.1% of cases (n = 28). In eight families, both parents suffered from allergic pathology, in siblings, 21.1% (n = 19) of the examined children had allergies. In the families, including grandparents, allergic pathology was reported in 56 cases (62.2%).
 Almost all patients had problems with nasal breathing, 77 (85.6%) children with adenoid hypertrophy had a habit of breathing through the mouth. Postnasal drip syndrome was found in 78 cases. Allergic rhinitis with adenoid hypertrophy is, generally, accompanied by postnasal leakage, which can provoke aspiration bronchitis and pneumonia, especially if pathogenic or opportunistic flora is transferred to the nasal cavity and/or to the pharynx.
 Conclusions: 1. Identification and rehabilitation of chronic foci of infection, bacterial, fungal, should be a necessary component of the personalized therapy of allergic pathology in children. 2. In cases of recurrent sowing or finding of pathogenic flora (iodophilic flora, fungi, coccal flora) in the coprogram, one should exclude not only transient lactase deficiency, but also congenital lactase deficiency, thus preventing development of enterocolitis in the future like as worsening of skin status and respiratory manifestations. 3. In case of severe respiratory viral infections in children during the period of adaptation for pre-school institutions, one should exclude sensitization to allergens of house dust mites and epidermal allergens of domestic animals. 4. A comprehensive and personalized approach to the diagnosis of allergic disorders and comorbid conditions enables us to create conditions for stable remission, making it possible to conduct allergen-specific immunotherapy, which may provide a disease-modifying effect upon the hyperreactive states in our patients.

Sarcocystis spp. Macrocysts Infection in Wildfowl Species in Eastern Baltic Region: Trends in Prevalence in 2011-2022.

Wildfowl meat infected with S. rileyi macrocysts is not suitable for human consumption. Ducks are among the main game birds in Europe, and S. rileyi infections cause significant economic losses. In 2011-2022, a total of 2649 anseriforms collected in Lithuania and 619 Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) hunted in the Kaliningrad region of Russia, Belarus, and Latvia were tested for macrocysts. In Lithuania, macrocysts were detected in 206 of 2362 Mallards (8.7%) and in two of 88 (2.3%) Eurasian Teals (Anas crecca). The prevalence of macrocysts in the other three countries, Belarus (5.9%), Russia (5.0%), and Latvia (3.1%), was similar. For species identification, macrocysts isolated from 37 Mallards (21 from Lithuania, 8 from Russia, 6 from Belarus, and 2 from Latvia) were subjected to sequencing of the ITS1 region. Based on DNA analysis, S. rileyi was confirmed in all tested birds. By comparing the infection rates of macrocysts in Mallards in Lithuania, significant differences were observed in different years (p = 0.036), and a significantly higher prevalence of infection was established in November-December than in September-October (p = 0.028). Given the amount of data per decade on the prevalence of S. rileyi, awareness of infection needs to be increased.

Practical Recommendations on the Organization of Municipal Transformations in the Republic of Kalmykia

The article is devoted to the possibilities of transformation of municipalities on the territory of the Republic of Kalmykia. The appearance of this work is caused by the fact that in recent years there has been an active consolidation of municipalities [1]. Such subjects as Stavropol region, Perm region, Zabaikalsky region, Kurgan region, Kaliningrad region and a number of other subjects of the Russian Federation are gradually moving away from the two-level system. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to consider the possibilities and prospects in the case of the transformation of municipalities in the Republic of Kalmykia from “municipal regions” to “municipal districts”, as well as the impact on the management system by the specified subject of the Russian Federation and local self-government bodies in the Republic of Kalmykia [2].

First Data on Species Composition and Development Cladocera (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) in Mire Ecosystems (Kaliningrad Region, Russia)

The original data on Cladocera fauna in standing-water and stream habitats of mire ecosystems were obtained for the first time in the Kaliningrad region during the research study on large raised bogs (Zehlau and Bolshoye) and drainage canals of 6 peatlands affected by peat extraction. In the studied wetland ecosystems, 41 species of Cladocera were recorded in total, including a number of rare and vulnerable taxa (Flavalona rustica, Scapholeberis microcephala, Streblocerus serricaudatus and Holopedium gibberum). The four species of Cladocera are new species for the Kaliningrad region which were not reported here before. Cladocera played a vital role in the studied bog pools and waterlogged habitats in peatlands as a key group of organisms that forms here a significant part of the zooplankton biomass due to the abundance and intensive production in the water bodies. The secondary filter feeders and predators were the most abundant in bog ecosystems. The cladoceran fauna in the intact bog ecosystems, especially the Zehlau raised bog, was the most diverse and unique. Nevertheless, the cladoceran assemblages in the disturbed ecosystems of drainage canals retained certain features of the natural water bodies. The latter fact is important in applied respect enabling to consider these canals as refugia that have potentials for natural restoration of the cladoceran fauna during the peatland rewetting programme on the Carbon Polygon in the Kaliningrad region.

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: PDF

THE MAIN DIRECTIONS OF DEVELOPMENT OF ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF LANDS IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

On the basis of testing various varieties of ecological and economic assessment of lands on the territory of the Russian Plain, their systematization was carried out both from the standpoint of the ratio of profi t and loss associated with nature management, and the attribution of these varieties to the areas of economic science that diff erently determine the role of human economic activity in ecological systems.Th e predominance in the Russian Federation of those techniques and methods of ecological and economic assess-ment, which are associated with the defi nition of damage/ harm from pollution, degradation and cluttering of land plots, is shown. Th e results of the approbation of the «Methodology for determining the extent of damage from soil and land degradation» (1994) for agricultural farms located in various regions of the Russian Federation — in the Volgograd, Belgorod, Kaliningrad and Penza regions are presented. It has been established that the damage caused to agricultural lands in all the studied regions is due to the low level of agrotechnical measures carried out here — mainly insuffi cient application of organic and mineral fertilizers, liming of acidic soils (for example, in the Kaliningrad region) and gypsum of saline soils (in the Volgograd region).Methods where the comparison of income and losses is carried out (methodology Y. von Braun, adjusting the value of land based on information about their ecological condition), are the most diffi cult to implement, but the most promising from a practical point of view. Th e results of the adjustment of the cadastral value of the lands of the West-ern Administrative District of Moscow based on the calculation of the indicator of loss of ecological quality of soils are presented. In some cases, the decrease in the cadastral value of land plots was 71% compared to the initial value.It has been established that the assessment of environmental damage refers to the direction of «environmental economics», the assessment of ecosystem services of soils and lands, the adjustment of the value of land based on information about their ecological condition, the assessment of environmental tax/environmental payments, — to the direction of «ecological economics», the methodology of J. von Braun and the assessment of environmental risks of pollution, degradation and littering of land — towards the direction of «green economics».

Results of glycaemic control on exertion in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus in FOX children's recreational camp settings

ANO “Children’s Camp FOX CAMP (Lager’ Lisonok)” has been operating in Russia since 2019. Changes of observations in the Moscow region, Sochi, Kaliningrad region, Sochi, Gelendzhik, Chelyabinsk region, Altai. In the period from 2019 to 2022, 796 children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) visited the shifts and active tours of the ANO “Children’s Camp FOKS CAMP (Lager’ Lisonok)”. The priority of children’s recreation is a focus on increased activity: marathons at various distances, football matches, basketball, alpine skiing and long hikes in the mountains, rafting. It is known that activity in patients with type 1 diabetes increases sharply by the level of blood increase, by a decrease in this indicator. In order, to prevent the development of hypoglycemia during heavy exercise, it is very important to quickly determine blood glucose using a glucometer and take the necessary measures to stop it. Thus, the presence of sufficient shifts is necessary to quickly and accurately carry out self-monitoring, sometimes in various and difficult conditions (on mountain trails, on a suspension bridge, when rafting on a mountain river, on the beach). This article presents the development of events on elevated blood levels in children and adolescents with DM1 in the conditions of the marathon, running at various distances in the conditions of the summer shift in the Moscow region of the children’s health camp ANO “Children’s Camp FOX CAMP (Lager’ Lisonok)”.

КЛАСТЕРЫ ЦИКЛОНОВ И ИХ ВЛИЯНИЕ НА РАЗМЫВ БЕРЕГОВ КАЛИНИНГРАДСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ

The shores of the Kaliningrad Region (the Russian part of the South-Eastern Baltic Sea) are regularly exposed to extreme storms, which leads to intensive abrasion and flooding of the land. Based on archival data, meteorological monitoring, forecast and synoptic maps, an analysis of extreme storms observed in the autumn-winter periods of the early 21st century was done. The cyclone type was determined using the HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Model), which makes it possible to reconstruct the trajectory of the approach of the atmospheric vortex to the coast. The seasons with clusters of storms were identified, when deep cyclones affected the coasts of the Kaliningrad Region in a relatively short time. Regardless of the type of trajectory, storms cause destruction of both natural and infrastructure objects. But the shores of the northern exposure are most susceptible to destruction by “diving” cyclones, the wave regime of which has a high potential energy. Earlier it was noted that the frequency of cyclones with northerly winds increases. Clusters of northern cyclones are especially dangerous, as was in January 2022, when 4 atmospheric eddies affected the coast with an interval of several hours to 2–3 days. When the water level was high, the waves crashed on the coast, causing catastrophic damage. The coastal monitoring revealed numerous destruction of the banks, breakthroughs of the foredune, both flooding and collapse of forests, critical damage to coast protection and engineering structures, and infrastructure facilities. Dozens of hectares of coastal territories have been lost. There are environmental problems associated with numerous emissions into the marine environment of a huge amount of anthropogenic mega-, macro-, meso-, micro-garbage with a predominance of plastic after extreme storms.

Experimental studies of a midwater trawl 18/95 m in the Vishtynets Lake

The article presents the first experimental data on the operation of a mid-depth trawl 18/95 m for catching vendace (Coregonus albula) in Lake Vishtynets, Kaliningrad Region. Lake Vishtynets is a testing ground for the study of industrial fishing gear. The trawl was towed taking into account the capacities of two interconnected (in a catamaran) motor boats: «Wellboat» (motor with a capacity of 25 l / s or 18,3 kW). When designing a mid-depth trawl 18/95 m, data from experiments with a floating anchor and software «Computer-aided design system for industrial fishing gear (CAD-OR)» were used. The technical characteristics of the 18/95 m trawl project were obtained. These experiments were carried out on the basis of previous studies in the Fishering Service hydrochannel.

Обоснование рациональных режимов термического выделения липидов из жиросодержащих рыбных отходов

Many fish waste remaining during the cutting of fish (heads, entrails, bones) contain an increased amount of fat, which has a high biological value. Obtaining edible fat from them is not always possible due to safety requirements, and the production of feed fishmeal with standard quality indicators is difficult. The increased fat content of raw materials and the technology parameters contribute to the rapid rancidity of fat in flour and the formation of toxic substances. This raw material can be used to obtain fish oil with subsequent recommendations for use, taking into account the indicators of oxidative and hydrolytic spoilage and in accordance with the requirements of the standards. When the content of undesirable products is exceeded, it can be used for technical purposes or in industrial biotechnology, as a substrate for microbial synthesis of biodegradable biopolymers such as polyhydroxyalkanoates. In this paper, a thermal method for separating fat from the heads of mackerel and hot-smoked sprats, as waste products from fish canning enterprises in the Kaliningrad region, was studied. A high fat content in raw materials (respectively 24.9 and 20.3%) and its characteristics were established. The rational parameters of the hydromodulus (1:0.5 and 1:1.0) were determined during thermolysis of crushed sprat and mackerel raw materials, respectively, at a stirrer rotation speed in the thermoreactor of 15 rpm. Rational ranges of temperature and duration of thermal release of fat were determined in experiments using mathematical planning. The optimization parameters were the yield of fat, its acid and peroxide numbers. The maximum yield of fat from fish heads is achieved at a temperature of 73-94°C for 2 hours 15 minutes - 2 hours 45 minutes. However, at the same time, fat has increased values of acid and peroxide numbers. Obtaining high-quality fat with food indicators is recommended at a temperature of 68 - 83 ° C for 43 min. – 1 h 22 minutes.

To calculate the maximum annual level according to the water rating curve (on example the small River Zlaya)

The rating curve of water in the river is an important characteristic of the water regime. In this article, the series of maximum annual levels and discharges of the Zlaya River (hydrological post Priozerye, Kaliningrad region) are indicated; rating curves of Zlaya River for different years were constructed. It has been established that the number of maximum annual discharges of the Zlaya River after 1991 tends to decrease, while the linear trend of the maximum annual levels shows an increase. The largest positive drawdown of the rating curve of Zlaya River was recorded from the early 60s to the mid-70s of the 20th century, which, presumably, was affected by the commissioning of a large array of drained lands during this period. The results of the study can be used in conducting hydrological surveys, developing measures for water resources management.

Comparison of the minimum discharge of the Instruch river at the beginning of the 20th and 21st century

The hydrological series of the minimum annual discharges of the Instruch River (hydrological gauging station Ulyanovo, Kaliningrad region) was studied. The values of the minimum discharge rates were processed in the Mathcad environment. The characteristics of the minimum discharges (average and minimum annual, minimum 5-, 10- and 30-day discharges) of the Instruch River in 1901-1912 and 2008-2020 are determined. A comparative analysis of the characteristics of the minimum annual discharges of the river Instruch for the indicated periods.

EMOTIONAL ASPECT OF CIVIL IDENTITY OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE RUSSIAN BORDER REGION

Civic identity is one of the most important identities of the individual. Its structure includes a number of components: cognitive, emotional, behavioral, symbolic, which explains its complexity and ambiguity. During the formation of identity, all components require attention, including emotion, having a diverse range of emotions, based on the relation of the ideal image of identity to reality. The article presents the results of a sociological survey conducted in four border regions: Kaliningrad region, Voronezh region, Altai region and Khabarovsk region, (N=1753). The article analyses the manifestation of the civic identity of the population of border regions, as well as assessment of the emotional aspect of civic identity from the standpoint of socio-demographic characteristics.

The effect of thermal modified peat additive on cement mortar

The influence of a thermally modified peat additive on the flowability, water-retention capacity of the mortar and the strength of fine-grained concrete is investigated in this paper. The original peat of the deposit in the Kaliningrad region of Russia was activated by heat treatment at 600 °C with limited oxygen access. An increase in the flowability and water-retention capacity of mixtures with 4 and 8% additives by weight of cement has been established. The rise of the concrete samples’ strength with the addition of 8% peat modifier on the 21st day in bending was 9%, in compression − 23%.

RESOURCES AVAILABILITY FOR SOLAR MICROGENERATION AND ITS ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY IN THE REGIONS OF RUSSIA

Measures to support electricity generation at low-power plants using the renewable energy sources as well, which were introduced in the Russian Federation, actualized the task of assessing the effectiveness of such legislative initiatives. The paper presents and tests a methodology for assessing the performance and economic efficiency of network photovoltaic stations, depending on physical-geographical and socio-economic factors. The results of assessing the potential performance of stations in various regions of Russia, obtained on the basis of archives of data on incoming solar radiation for the period from 2010 to 2020, are presented with one hour resolution. It is shown that economic efficiency of Solar Microgeneration Stations (SMS) in the study areas varies widely depending on the combination of such factors as the amount of solar radiation, retail and wholesale electricity tariffs, and the regime of electricity consumption by SMS owners. Despite significant solar energy resources, the payback period of photovoltaic stations in the regions of Southern Siberia (Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude) turned out to be the longest among all areas under study because of the established tariffs for electricity sale and purchase. Optimal conditions for the operation of such stations are characteristic only for the regions of Russia that belong to non-price zones and territorially isolated energy systems of the wholesale market (Magadan and Kaliningrad regions, Kamchatka, Primorsky Krai), where high wholesale electricity prices make the payback expectable within the guaranteed life of the station equipment (20 years).

Macrofossil assemblages as a key to insight into the mire flora development (a case study in the Kaliningrad Region of Russia)

Based on analysis of the plant macrofossil composition in the peat deposits, we can identify the environments these plants were formed and developed. This paper is aimed at a detailed study of the macrofossil assemblages from the peat deposits in the Wittgirrensky peatland, which is a study site of the Rossyanka Carbon Polygon in the Kaliningrad Region. The conclusions of the study may contribute to the general insight into the mire flora development in the SouthEastern Baltic region. In total, 85 types of plant and animal macroremains were found in the peat and gyttja samples from the Wittgirrensky peatland, representing 39 different taxonomic groups, which were combined into 6 main macrofossil assemblage zones: 1) Salix-Phragmites, 2) Carex-Drepanocladus, 3) Pinus-Ericaceae, 4) Sphagnum magellanicum, 5) Sphagnum fuscum, 6) Sphagnum-Ericaceae.

Natural flow regulation coefficient of the Kaliningrad region rivers

The natural flow regulation coefficient is used in solving engineering and scientific problems in the field of hydrology, hydraulic engineering. The article presents the results of calculating this coefficient for the rivers of the Kaliningrad region based on the results of observations. The previously developed calculation method in the Mathcad environment was used. The range of changes in the coefficient of natural regulation of the flow of rivers in the Kaliningrad region significantly exceeds the similar range given for the rivers of the North-West of Russia. The closest stochastic relationship is in the coefficient of natural regulation of river flow in the Kaliningrad region with 30-day water discharges.

Determinants of Food Security: General Dynamics and Exclave Features

Today, the issue of regulation, development and provision of food security of the state and regions is more urgent than ever before. For the Kaliningrad region, a unique subject – an exclave territory of the Russian Federation, this issue is particularly acute, given its specifics. That is why it is extremely important to study the current state of the most important sector of the region, the fishery complex, in order to clearly manage the processes, at the level of a concrete conclusion – whether the sector is able to exist in autonomous conditions and provide the region with products. The article reveals the basic concepts of the studied categories, considers the current situation in the management of the fishery of the exclave region. The current state of the fishing industry in the Kaliningrad region and its impact on food security is studied. In this context the determinants of food security are considered: food sovereignty and economic availability of food and their thresholds are calculated. The economic affordability of fish products is considered in more detail on the basis of the functioning of the mechanism of integral and instrumental standards.

Production of metallic magnesium based on polymineral ores of the Kaliningrad-Gdansk salt basin

Purpose of the work. Rational subsurface use implies the most complete and comprehensive development of mineral reserves. In this regard, the aim of the study is to determine the possibility of obtaining metallic magnesium from the ores of the Kaliningrad-Gdansk salt basin, along with planned potassium sulfate and magnesium sulfate production. Methods. In the course of the study, ore samples were selected, the existing technologies of polymineral (kainite, carnallite and kizerite) ore processing are analyzed, a technological process for obtaining metallic magnesium from the available ore raw materials and by-products of the main production was developed, tests were organized to obtain metallic magnesium by electrolytic means based on the Nivenskoye deposit ore, the quality of the obtained material was evaluated, the possibilities of creating production in Kaliningrad region based on the available raw materials were analyzed. Results. As a result of the development of raw material processing technology and laboratory tests, the possibility of obtaining metallic magnesium from polymineral (carnallite) ores of the Kaliningrad-Gdansk salt basin has been established. At the same time, it was revealed that the production of magnesium by the electrolytic method is complicated by the presence of a high concentration of sulfate ions in the initial processed raw materials, which requires the inclusion of the desulfatization stage in the technological process. Conclusions. Natural carnallite ores of the Kaliningrad-Gdansk salt basin, as well as the obtained by-products arising during the main technological process (production of potassium sulfate), can be used for the production of high-quality metallic magnesium according to GOST 804–93 quality level. The results of the study make it possible to develop the natural resources of the polymineral ores of the Kaliningrad-Gdansk salt basin in the most comprehensive way, obtaining a wide range of products, including metallic magnesium.

РУССКИЙ СЕВЕР. ОБРАЗЫ РОССИИ В ФОТОКОЛЛЕКЦИИ Д.Н. АНУЧИНА

An exhibition of photographs from the collection of Dmitry Nikolayevich Anuchin, organized jointly with the Earth Science Museum of Lomonosov Moscow State University, has opened in the Maritime Exhibition Center of the Museum of the World Ocean in Svetlogorsk, Kaliningrad region. Dmitry Nikolayevich Anuchin (1843-1923) was a famous Russian anthropologist, ethnographer, archaeologist, geographer, and museologist. D.N. Anuchin was active in spreading geographical knowledge and creating a Russian university geography school, and educated a great number of students. Dmitry Nikolayevich was at the origin of the creation of the Geographical Museum of Moscow University, which he headed for more than 20 years. The exhibition shows about 70 prints of photographs of the Russian North of the late 19th-early 20th centuries from D.N. Anuchin’s photo collection. A significant part of the collection (more than 3.5 thousand units) is now stored in the funds of the Earth Science Museum of the Lomonosov Moscow State University.