Evaluating the Downstream Development Strategy of Oil Companies: The Case of Rosneft

The relevance of this study is due to the low rate of development of the downstream sectors of Russian oil companies. Against a background of the sale of significant volumes of oil and gas raw materials, Russia lags behind world leaders in the production and consumption of petrochemical and chemical products, with their share in the gross domestic product of the country being only 1.1%. Connected to this is the issue of substantiating strategies of development for the downstream sectors of Russian oil companies, which requires detailed research. In this light, it is necessary to take into account current trends in the worldwide demand on petroleum products and also the opportunities and competitive advantages of Russian oil and gas companies in the creation and development of refineries with a consideration of modern technological, environmental, social and market criteria. The paper tests hypotheses about modernisation as a process of increasing efficiency in the development of the industry as a whole. The results of the study show that the planned pace of development in the industry by means of modernisation proves to be insufficient and requires additional investments in innovative development and new construction. The value of the research lies in the modelling of modernisation strategy options by the example of a large oil company, the estimation of results by the criteria of world average indices of technological efficiency of production and the analysis of these results by state indicators of branch development. The theoretical significance of the research lies in the possibility of using this research approach as an analogue.

CURRENT STATE OF THE SYSTEM OF CHILDREN’S HEALTHCARE AND LEISURE INSTITUTIONS DEVELOPMENT IN UKRAINE

The paper substantiates the state of the system of children’s healthcare and leisure institutions development in Ukraine. We can state that today there is a fairly extensive system of institutions that have a certain time frame of functioning (during the calendar year, in the summer), different bases of existence (in general secondary educational institutions, in additional educational institutions, in medical and health centers, bases and complexes, tourist centers), and different profile (healthcare, leisure, education). The regulative base of the institutions functioning is characterized. The strategy of branch development, types and forms of activity, principles and directions of work are emphasized. Documents legally regulate their organizational, financial, educational, and cultural components. The aim, objectives, directions of public organizations work are covered. The main aim of the public organizations activities in the field of children’s healthcare and leisure institutions is the protection of rights and freedoms, the satisfaction of public, including children’s economic, social, cultural, environmental and other interests. Objectives of organizations include the following ones: defending the rights and freedoms of the process participants, the need to develop educational, methodological, information base, and training of qualified professionals capable of providing a high level of services in the sphere of children’s healthcare and leisure; the development and implementation of innovative technologies for internal and external use; and the development of a system for monitoring and evaluating the work of healthcare and leisure institutions. Approaches to the classification of types of institutions are revealed. Features of work of different types of institutions are defined.

Increasing the share of non–cash payments and settlements in the Kyrgyz Republic

The paper considers the payment system of the Kyrgyz Republic in the light of integration into the EAEU. The development of non–cash payment markets in the EAEU member states differs significantly. The level of development of the payment system in Kyrgyzstan is not high; significantly higher levels of this branch development in the union are noted in Russia and Kazakhstan.

GhD14 Regulates Plant Architecture and Fiber Development in Cotton

Background: Strigolactone (SL) signaling is essential in regulating plant development. DWARF14 (D14), the SL receptor, interacts with the F-box in MORE AXILLARY GROWTH (MAX2) to modulate SL signaling. However, the biological function of D14 protein is still unknown in cotton.Results: Here, we identified GhD14s in Gossypium hirsutum and resolved its function in cotton plant architecture and fiber development. Subcellular location results revealed that the GhD14D protein was localized to both the cytoplasm and nucleus. GUS staining assay showed that GhD14D was mainly expressed in leaf primordium, inflorescence, axillary bud and stem and expression analysis revealed that GhD14A/D was highly expressed in stem, flower and fiber cells at 20 days post-anthesis (DPA). Silencing GhD14A/D gene expression in upland cotton significantly increased branch angle. Meanwhile, the fiber length and the transcripts of secondary cell wall biosynthesis related genes were also reduced after GhD14A/D gene silencing. In addition, overexpression of GhD14D in Atd14 mutant successfully rescued the phenotype of the d14 mutant with much shoot-branching and short plant height.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the GhD14 gene contributes to shoot branch development and fiber cell development in cotton. This study deepens our understanding of the biological role of SL signaling in cotton and providing guidance for modifying cotton plant architecture and improving fiber development using genetic engineering to help us breed better cotton varieties in the future.

Gelidocalamus fengkaiensis (Poaceae: Bambusoideae), a new bamboo species from Guangdong, China, with an analysis of branch development in relation to flowering

Background Bamboos, widely distributed in temperate and tropical Asia, Africa and America, refer to a group of special plants in Poaceae, Bambusoideae. China is rich in bamboo species. However, due to a long flowering cycle, the flowering habit and the flowering structure of many bamboo species are still not well understood. Here, we report a new bamboo species from Guangdong, China and an analysis of its interesting branch development in relation to flowering. Results This species is similar to G. stellatus, the type species, but differs in the characteristics of its lemma and palea, mid-culm branch complement, and culm-sheath ligules. The initial branches at a culm node do not apically develop flowering structures during a flowering episode; instead, these form on what appears to be specialized flowering branches. Conclusions The results of morphological comparison support the recognition of Gelidocalamus fengkaiensis as a new species. And during a flowering episode, two branch types (‘foliage branch’ and ‘flowering branch’) can be distinguished in this species.

Carotenoid Cleavage Dioxygenase Genes of Chimonanthus praecox, CpCCD7 and CpCCD8, Regulate Shoot Branching in Arabidopsis

Strigolactones (SLs) regulate plant shoot development by inhibiting axillary bud growth and branching. However, the role of SLs in wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) shoot branching remains unknown. Here, we identified and isolated two wintersweet genes, CCD7 and CCD8, involved in the SL biosynthetic pathway. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that CpCCD7 and CpCCD8 were down-regulated in wintersweet during branching. When new shoots were formed, expression levels of CpCCD7 and CpCCD8 were almost the same as the control (un-decapitation). CpCCD7 was expressed in all tissues, with the highest expression in shoot tips and roots, while CpCCD8 showed the highest expression in roots. Both CpCCD7 and CpCCD8 localized to chloroplasts in Arabidopsis. CpCCD7 and CpCCD8 overexpression restored the phenotypes of branching mutant max3-9 and max4-1, respectively. CpCCD7 overexpression reduced the rosette branch number, whereas CpCCD8 overexpression lines showed no phenotypic differences compared with wild-type plants. Additionally, the expression of AtBRC1 was significantly up-regulated in transgenic lines, indicating that two CpCCD genes functioned similarly to the homologous genes of the Arabidopsis. Overall, our study demonstrates that CpCCD7 and CpCCD8 exhibit conserved functions in the CCD pathway, which controls shoot development in wintersweet. This research provides a molecular and theoretical basis for further understanding branch development in wintersweet.

Carotenoid Cleavage Dioxygenase Genes of Chimonanthus praecox, CpCCD7 and CpCCD8, Regulate Shoot Branching in Arabidopsis

Strigolactones (SLs) regulate plant shoot development by inhibiting axillary bud growth and branching. However, the role of SLs in wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) shoot branching remains unknown. Here, we identified and isolated two wintersweet genes, CCD7 and CCD8, in-volved in the SL biosynthetic pathway. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that CpCCD7 and CpCCD8 were down-regulated in wintersweet during branching. When new shoots were formed, expression levels of CpCCD7 and CpCCD8 were almost the same as the control (un-decapitation). CpCCD7 was expressed in all tissues, with the highest expression in shoot tips and roots, while CpCCD8 showed the highest expression in roots. Both CpCCD7 and CpCCD8 localized to chloroplasts in Arabidopsis. CpCCD7 and CpCCD8 overexpression restored the phenotypes of branching mutant max3-9 and max4-1, respectively. CpCCD7 overexpression reduced the rosette branch number, whereas CpCCD8 overexpression lines showed no phenotypic differences compared with wild-type plants. Additionally, the expression of AtBRC1 was significantly up-regulated in transgenic lines, indicating that two CpCCD genes functioned similarly to the homologous genes of the Arabidopsis. Overall, our study demonstrates that CpCCD7 and CpCCD8 exhibit conserved functions in the CCD pathway, which controls shoot development in wintersweet. This research provides a molecular and theoretical basis for further understanding branch development in wintersweet.

Gelidocalamus Fengkaiensis (Poaceae: Bambusoideae), A New Bamboo Species From Guangdong, China, With An Analysis of Branch Development in Relation To Flowering

Background: Bamboos, widely distributed in temperate and tropical Asia, Africa and America, refer to a group of special plants in Poaceae, Bambusoideae. China is rich in bamboo species. However, due to long flowering cycle, the flowering habit and the flowering structure of many bamboo species are still unknown. Here, we report a new bamboo species from Guangdong, China and an analysis of its interesting branch development in relation to flowering.Results: This species is similar to G. stellatus, the generic type, but differs in the characteristics of its lemma and palea, mid-culm branch complement, and culm-sheath ligules. The initial branches at a culm node do not apically develop flowering structure during a flowering episode; instead, these form on what appears to be specialized flowering branches.Conclusions: The results of morphological comparison support Gelidocalamus fengkaiensis recognized as a new species. And during flowering episode, two branch types (‘foliage branch’ and ‘flowering branch’) can be distinguished in this species.

Methodological aspects of regional spatial and sectoral development management

The article considers the key aspects of methodology of management by spatial and industrial development of Russian regions. Methodological basis of management as the basic element of control system by spatial-branch development of region demands specification and scientific substantiation. The essence of the problem consists in the fact that as a result of insufficient scientific and methodological elucidation and grounding of management pro-spatial-branch development of a region there is a discordance of interaction of functional mechanisms in the management system, which determines the low level of adaptability of management spatial-branch development to new challenges and changes in external and internal environment of the region. There has been carried out systematization and structural formalization of methodological basis of management by spatial and sectoral development of region. The analysis of scientific maintenance of a methodological basis of management by spatial and industrial development of region has allowed to specify and expand concepts of a development management methodology. The basic characteristics of development as a process of transformation of regional spatial and sectoral structure are presented, on the assumption of which management concept of spatial and sectoral development of a region is specified, a subject structure and key parameters of management are revealed. Principles of managing pro-spatial and industrial development of the region have been considered and substantiated. The concept of resource management and the contents of the resource base of the region spatial and sectoral development management has been analyzed. It has been inferred that the specific methodological grounds are the major scientific element of the control system by the spatial-sectoral development of the region.