Individual alcohol consumption by the population of Russia versus regional living conditions

Background:There are substantial regional differences in drinking alcohol in Russia,both at the population and individual levels.However,the causes of these differences have not been studied yet.Objective:The goal of our study was to examine the effect of regional living conditions on individual alcohol consumption by the population of Russia.Methods:For the analysis,we used data from a cross-sectional epidemiological study conducted in 2013-2014.The final analytical sample included 18,130 people aged 25-64 years.We conducted the interviews face to face,based on which any drinking in the last year,as well as alcohol abuse,were considered as a response.Alcohol abuse was recorded when the respondent consumed 5.75 or more grams of pure ethanol per day(75th percentile of average daily alcohol consumption among alcohol drinkers).The assessment of the regional living conditions was accomplished via integral indexing,which was previously performed based on publicly available data for 2010-2014.Associations were assessed using generalized scoring equations with unchanging standard errors.The associations were expressed by odds ratios(OR)and 95%confidence intervals(C).Results:Deterioration of social conditions and increase in demographic depression in the region of residence increased the odds of any drinking(OR 1.51,95%CI:1.33 to 1.72,P<0.001 and OR 1.22,95%CI:1.05 to 1.41,P=0.oo9,respectively).The odds of alcohol abuse increased with the deterioration of social living conditions and the growth of the industrial development in the region:OR 1.35,95%CI:1.14 to 1.59,P<0.001 and OR 1.16,95%CI:1.05 to 1.28,P=0.002,respectively.Conclusion:Our analysis allowed assessing the impact of the regional living conditions on individual drinking alcohol in the population of Russia.

Exploring well-being disparities between urban and rural areas:A case study in the Stavropol Territory,Russia

Rural areas are crucial for a country’s sustainable economy.New strategies are needed to develop rural areas to improve the well-being of rural population and generate new job opportunities.This is especially important in countries where agricultural production accounts for a significant share of the gross product,such as Russia.In this study,we identified the key indicators of satisfaction and differences between rural and urban citizens based on their social,economic,and environmental backgrounds,and determined whether there are well-being disparities between rural and urban areas in the Stavropol Territory,Russia.We collected primary data through a survey based on the European Social Survey framework to investigate the potential differences between rural and urban areas.By computing the regional well-being index using principal component analysis,we found that there was no statistically significant difference in well-being between rural and urban areas.Results of key indicators showed that rural residents felt psychologically more comfortable and safer,assessed their family relationships better,and adhered more to traditions and customs.However,urban residents showed better economic and social conditions(e.g.,infrastructures,medical care,education,and Internet access).The results of this study imply that we can better understand the local needs,advantages,and unique qualities,thereby gaining insight into the effectiveness of government programs.Policy-makers and local authorities can consider targeted interventions based on the findings of this study and strive to enhance the well-being of both urban and rural residents.

CIIS Delegation Visits Russia

From May 26 to 31,CIIS President Chen Bo led a delegation to Russia.During the visit,they participated in the 22nd China-Russia Bilateral Academic Seminar,hosted by the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.The delegation also engaged in discussions with scholars from the Institute of World Economy and International Relations.

The Volga River Is Russia’s Lifeline and in Need of Maintenance, Mitigation and Restoration

The Volga River flows entirely through Russia and the watershed includes three of the country’s ten largest cities. The river is the longest in Europe and western Russia’s principal waterway. The Volga River basin is home to approximately half of Russia’s population and occupies almost two-fifth of European Russia. It covers much of the Volga region and stretches 3530 kilometers from its source in the Valdai Hills to the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest inland water body. Its economic, cultural, and historic importance makes it one of the world’s greatest rivers. The Volga basin makes up 8 percent of the Russian territory. Stalingrad, located on the banks of the Volga River, has been described as the site of the greatest de-feat in the history of the German Army. It is often identified as the turning point on the Eastern Front of WWII, in the war against Germany, and in the entire WWII. The meeting point of the Eurasian Civilization was historically the Volga River. The river has some of the world’s largest reservoirs and is a major source of livelihood for millions of people. Many factories and cities empty their waste including sewage, industrial waste, fertilizers, and pesticides into the Volga River. Pollutants tend to settle in the reservoirs and contain several meters of heavily contaminated muck. The primary objectives are to assess lessons learned, manage, and restore the Volga River system lifeline in Russia.

Russia's Big Stone River

Activity 1.Think about the following questions and write down your answers before reading the text.1.What do you think are the cultural or historical significances of Big Stone River for the local people of Russia?2.Suppose you were a researcher studying Big Stone River,what aspects would you focus on and why?

Imposition of Energy Sanctions by the Western World on Russia in the Context of Geopolitical Conflicts:the Logic Behind and Its Implications

Since the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis on February 24,2022,the Western world led by the US has imposed rounds of extensive and intensive sanctions against Russia,among which energy sanctions are a powerful policy instrument.

Abstract of Speech by Alexey N.Aleksakhin,Vice-Chairman of Russia-China Friendship Association of Russia,Professor of Moscow State Institute of International Relations

In his speech themed Chinese Modernisation,How and Why it matters to the World and Cultural Confidence,Prof.Alexey N.Aleksakhin discussed cultural governance in the context of modernisation from the perspective of global civilisation.

Investment Environment Assessment and Strategic Policy for Subjects of Federation in Russia

Russia is the largest neighboring country of China. Between the two countries, the resources and industry are complemented, the political mutual trust is at a high level, and trade cooperation has a broad prospect. Choosing the best regions and the best industries to strengthen investment in Russia has a major strategic significance in promoting ‘the Belt and Road Initiative’ and China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor Construction. However, the related researches are extremely limited. The investment environment is unclear, and the investment risk is unknown, which seriously restrict the investment in Russia and the trade cooperation with Russia. Our research team carried out scientific expedition, government visits and scientific research cooperation in Russia for several years, and obtained a great number of first-hand valuable data. According to the analysis on the data and Russian regional policies, this study constructed an investment environment evaluation model(ESI-PRA model), scientific assessed the investment environment for 83 subjects of federation in Russia, in terms of economic, social, infrastructure, policy, resource and accessibility, classified 4 types of investment regions, chose 3 investment priority regions, revealed the investment priority industries, demonstrated the main investment risks, and proposed the strategic policies. The research results provide direct scientific and technological support for strategic decisions, such as investment in Russia, bilateral economic and trade cooperation, and overseas layout of Chinese-funded enterprises. Moreover, it has an important practical and strategic significance for improving overseas geo-strategic interests of China and ensuring the construction of China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor.

Measures and Strategic Conception of Japan to Deal with the Russia–Ukraine Crisis

After the outbreak of the Russia–Ukraine conflict, Japan wasted no time in advancing its national strategy and actively promoted shuttle diplomacy with the United States(U.S.), Europe, East Asia, and neighboring countries of Ukraine around sanctions against Russia based on strategic considerations and the goal of maximizing national interests. Japan regarded this conflict as an important opportunity for an international strategic game, in an attempt to move and overturn the postwar international order and reconstruct the new global order with the U.S., Europe, and Japan as the core countries dominating the military, science and technology, and economic spheres. In response to the crisis, Japan made a brief policy adjustment—from the initial hesitation to the imposition of active sanctions and pressure on Russia—to reverse the passive situation on the issue of the Four Northern Islands and weaken Russia’s strength. Japan also took the opportunity to promote the “China threat theory”;strengthen the quadrilateral mechanism between the U.S., Japan, India, and Australia;provoke regional confrontation;and try to gain a new Cold War dividend.

The Indo-Pacific Strategy of the United States from Russia’s Strategic Perspective

The Trump administration of the United States has accelerated the advancement of the‘‘open and free Indo-Pacific’,strategy since 2017.From a geopolitical point of view and in terms of its national interests,Russia has generally been critical of this strategy,believing it has posed certain challenges to its“Pivot to the East”strategy.Meanwhile,Russia is rejoicing for not being the primary target of US containment in the region and has sensed a new opportunity for exercising its Asia-Pacific diplomacy in the context of the Indo-Pacific strategy.Based on this situation,Russia has made a flexible and pragmatic policy response to it.However,Russia will inevitably face many restraints.In the future,Russia will seek to maximize its strategic interests on the basis of adhering to its inherent principles of Asia-Pacific diplomacy.

Priorities of State Support of the Russian Agriculture on Federal and Regional Levels under Volatile Economic Growth

The state support of the agriculture is increasing with the globalization of Russia, the need to shape level and instruments in accordance with the WTO requirements. For Russia, rational state support of agriculture is topical according to the domestic economic problems： insufficient financing in Russia, in the regions; degradation of production facilities; turnover acreage reduction; reduction in livestock; and according to the external economic factors： the accession to the WTO, the transition to the Common Economic Space, and subsequently, the Eurasian Economic Union, global change conditions in the global food market, an increase in the world population, increasing demand for food resources, a significant increase in food prices on world markets, the increased activity of Russian agricultural producers in the world markets of grain products; ensuring of economic stability systems, critical analysis of the tools and the effectiveness of economic policy. According to the IMF, the economic has slowed down despite the state support for agriculture should stay a priority in the government＇s economic policy, in the regions.

The role of wild goose(Anser) populations of Russia and theTibet Plateau in the spread of the avian influenza virus

Wild birds of the orders Anseriformes and Charadriiformes represent a natural reservoir of low pathogenic avian influenza(LPAI) viruses(family Orthomyxoviridae).Wild geese(order Anseriformes)relating to waterfowls undertake extensive migration flights reaching thousands of kilometers.Isolation of the avian influenza virus(AIV) from wild geese is quite low or absent.The aims of this study are to monitor the AIV in different wild goose species,nesting on Russian territory and the Tibet Plateau and to analyze the derived data for the purpose of determining the role of these wild bird species in spreading pathogens.In our study 3245 samples from nine wild goose species in nine regions of Russia and on the territory of the Tibet Plateau(the Xizang Autonomous Region) were tested and no AIV were detected.Our study shows the non-essential role of wild geese in the spread of the AIV over long distances and reaches theconclusion that geese are probably not natural reservoirs for the primary viruses.However,further inquiry of AIV in wild goose populations is required.Studies of wild geese and AIV ecology will allow us to obtainmore information about pathogen-host relationships and to make arrangements for the maintenance ofwild goose populations.

Platinum-group Element Geochemistry of Magnetite from Porphyry-Cu-Mo Deposits and their Host Rocks(Siberia,Russia)

The concentrations of platinum-group elements （PGE） have been analyzed in primary magmatic magnetite samples from the Zhireken, Shakhtama and Aksug porphyry Cu-Mo deposits （Siberia, Russia） by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to determine the range of PGE contents in magnetites and to check whether magnetite from two main rock suites （barren plutonic suite and mineralized porphyry suite） has distinct PGE composition. The results presented here indicate that magnetites are enriched in PGE relative to whole-rocks. Comparison of ore-related porphyry and barren plutonic suites shows that magnetite exhibit relatively similar PGE distribution patterns in both suites. Variations in Rh and Ru contents were controlled by the oxygen fugacity during magma crystallization.

Transnational Economic Connection Analysis Based on Railway Class Accessibility Between China and Russia

Under the background of ‘the Belt and Road’ initiative, the economic cooperation has great potential between China and Russia. The railway accessibility has an important influence on the economic connections of cities along the railway line. This paper studied the Sino-Russian transnational economic connection based on the railway class accessibility along Trans-Siberian railway(the transnational China railway branch line). The results are as following. First, the railway accessibility of the Chinese nodes is stronger than that of the Russian nodes, which in general displays a tendency of space attenuation from China to the Sino-Russian border, then to Russia. Spatially, the railway accessibility within the study area shows a ‘High East, Low West’ and ‘High South, Low North’ spatial pattern. The railway accessibility of the nodes, which are located at the beginning and end of the railway line, is weaker than those nodes located in the middle of the line. Second, the railway accessibility and external economic connection intensity summation of the nodes show a positive relationship along the railway line. The economic connection intensity summation of different nodes presents obvious regional differentiation. Finally, as economic connection network has evolved, the small world effect of Sino-Russian railway economic connection network becomes strong.

Cost-profit analysis for Japan-Russia and Japan-South Korea interconnectors

This paper describes the results of cost-profit analysis related to interconnectors for Japan-Russia and JapanSouth Korea based on the Asia International Grid Connection Study Group 2^(nd) report. The Group has been established in 2016 for conducting research on international electric power networks in Asia from the viewpoint of technology, investment and legal framework. 2^(nd) report of the Group was published in June 2018, examining the profitability of an interconnectors between Japan and neighboring countries. The Group has calculated expected profit from operation of these interconnectors.The Group has categorized interconnector business into four models from the survey of preceding and current business on grids and interconnectors. To clarify profitability, expected internal rate of return(IRR) was calculated for each business model based on estimated investment cost for each route. When interconnector is dedicated to specific power plants or suppliers and electricity can be sold at Japan wholesale market at 2016-2017 price level, positive IRR levels are expected in case that Free on Board(FOB) price lower than 7 JPY/kWh. When the investment will be covered by electricity tariff by final consumers, tariff for consumers will just slightly increase by approximately 0.1 JPY/kWh.

GIS tools for correlation of tectonics and seismicity in the Altay-Sayan area,Russia

Fault-block structures of the Altay-Sayan folded area （ASFA） southeastern Siberia of Russia were used as the basis for creating a 3-D model. The surface structures were projected to depths by previous correlations between long and deep faults, with all layers and deformation factors defined. The mean deformation factor （Ds） is 0.12 unit/km^3 in the upper layer, 0.012 unit/km^3 in the intermediate layer, and 0.007 unit/km^3 in the lower layer of the 3-D ASFA neotectonic model. Ds allows correlation of the three distinguished layers with theological bodies that differ in their potential for accumulating elastic energy. 3-D modeling can be used as a methodological approach to projections in seismic prone areas such as the Krasnoyarsk region, for earthquake-hazard monitoring.

Characteristics of the active-layer under the China-Russia Crude Oil pipeline

Active layer is a key component for permafrost environment studies as many subsurface biological,biogeochemical,ecological,and pedogenic activities prevail in this layer.This study focuses on active layer temperature monitoring in an area with sporadic permafrost at two adjacent sites along China-Russia Crude Oil Pipeline(CRCOP),NorthEast China.Site T1 is located in disturbed ground on the right-of-way(on-ROW)2 m away from the center of the oil pipeline.T2 is located in a natural and undisturbed site,around 16.6 m off-ROW.Our objective was to study seasonal variability of the active layer depth and thermal regime from October 2017 to September 2018.The monitoring sites consist of soil temperature probes arranged in a vertical array at different depths at both sites.The following parameters were computed:number of isothermal days(ID),freezing days(FD),thawing days(TD),freezing degree days(FDD),thawing degree days(TDD),number of freeze-thaw days(FTD).The mean air temperature in the monitoring period reached-3.2℃.The temperature profile indicates that the maximum active layer thickness observed during the study period was 10 m at T1 and 2 m at T2.The majority of the soil temperatures were above or close to 0℃,resulting in great values of TDD,especially in the first 4 m depth.TDD for T1 were predominant and ranged between 600-1160℃·days(0-4 m depth)reflecting the influence of oil temperature from the pipeline.In T2 borehole FDD were predominant for all the soil layer depths resulting in less permafrost degradation.This comparison emphasizes the significant influence of vegetation removal and the dispersed heat from the pipeline on the active layer thickness.

Route designs and cost estimation for Japan-Russia and Japan-South Korea interconnections

This paper describes route designs and cost estimation for possible interconnections between Japan-Russia and between Japan-South Korea based on the Asia International Grid Connection Study Group 2^(nd) report. The Group has conducted a desktop study to design several cable routes as possible options. To optimize the route, the group studied a wide range of open data, regarding sea depth, fishery zones, geographic condition, available transmission capacity in connecting points inside Japan and so on. The result of desktop study shows that it is possible to keep sea depth for planned routes less than 300 m and length for most of designed routes is less than 600 km. Compare to existing undersea cables in Europe, proposed routes are not challenging from technical and geological viewpoints.The study shows that investment cost range, including cost for grid enhancement inside Japan, is from around 200 bn JPY to 600 bn JPY, depending on the routes. Annualized cost range is from around 8 to 24 bn JPY(for 25-year operation), which is not so large compare to 1800 bn JPY-average annual investment in transmission infrastructure by 10 power utilities in the past 23 years.

Upgrading Siberian(Russia)crude oil by hydrodesulfurization in a slurry reactor:A kinetic study

Hydrodesulfurization(HDS)of sour crude oil is an effective way to address the corrosion problems in refineries,and is an economic way to process sour crude oil in an existing refinery built for sweet oil.In the current study,the HDS of Siberian crude oil was carried out in a slurry reactor.The Co-Mo,Ni-Mo,and Ni-W catalysts supported onγ-Al2O3 were compared at the temperature of 340℃ and the pressure of 4.5 MPa.The HDS activity follows the order of Co-Mo N Ni-Mo N Ni-Wat a high concentration of H2S,and the difference between Co-Mo and Ni-Mo becomes insignificant at a low concentration of H2S.The influence of reaction temperature 320-360℃ and reaction pressure 3-5.5 MPa was investigated,and both play a positive role in the HDS reaction.A kinetic model over Ni-Mo/Al2O3 in the slurry reactor was established.The activation energy is estimated as 60.34 kJ·mol−1;the orders of sulfur components and hydrogen partial pressure are 1.43 and 1.30,respectively.The kinetic parameters are compared with those in a trickle-bed reactor,implying that the mass transfer is greatly enhanced in the slurry reactor.The back mixing effect is present in the slurry reactor and can be reduced by a multi-stage design,which would lead to higher reactor efficiency in industrial application.

Permafrost warming along the Mo'he-Jiagedaqi section of the China-Russia crude oil pipeline

The permafrost along the China-Russia Crude Oil Pipeline(CRCOP) is degrading since the pipeline operation in 2011. Heat dissipated from the pipeline, climate warming and anthropogenic activities leads to permafrost warming. The processes of permafrost warming along the CRCOP were studied based on the monitoring of air and soil temperatures, and electrical resistivity tomography(ERT) surveys. Results show that:(1) the mean annual air temperature(MAAT) in permafrost regions along the CRCOP increased with a rate of 0.21°C/10a–0.40°C/10 a during the past five decades;(2) the mean annual ground temperature(MAGT, at-15 m depth) of undisturbed permafrost increased by 0.2°C and the natural permafrost table remained unchanged due to the zero-curtain effect;(3) permafrost surrounding the uninsulated pipeline right-of-way warmed significantly compared with that in a natural site. During 2012–2017, the MAGT and the artificial permafrost table, 2 m away from the pipeline centerline, increased at rates of 0.063°C/a and 1.0 m/a. The thaw bulb developed around the pipe and exhibits a faster lateral expansion;(4) 80-mm-thick insulation could reduce the heat exchange between the pipeline and underlying permafrost and then keep the permafrost and pipe stable. The MAGT and the artificial permafrost table, 4.8 m away from the center line of the pipeline, increased by 0.3°C/a and 0.43 m/a, respectively. Due to the heat disturbance caused by warm oil, the degradation of wetland, controlled burn each autumn and climate warming, the permafrost extent reduced and warmed significantly along the CRCOP route. Field observations provide basic data to clarify the interactions between CRCOP and permafrost degradation and environmental effects in the context of climate change.