Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a precursor to the major health diseases associated with high mortality in industrialized countries: cardiovascular disease and diabetes. An important component of the pathogenesis of the metabolic syndrome is mitochondrial dysfunction, which is associated with tissue hypoxia, disruption of mitochondrial integrity, increased production of reactive oxygen species, and a decrease in ATP, leading to a chronic inflammatory state that affects tissues and organ systems. The mitochondrial AAA + protease Lon (Lonp1) has a broad spectrum of activities. In addition to its classical function (degradation of misfolded or damaged proteins), enzymatic activity (proteolysis, chaperone activity, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)binding) has been demonstrated. At the same time, the spectrum of Lonp1 activity extends to the regulation of cellular processes inside mitochondria, as well as outside mitochondria (nuclear localization). This mitochondrial protease with enzymatic activity may be a promising molecular target for the development of targeted therapy for MetS and its components. The aim of this review is to elucidate the role of mtDNA in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome and its components as a key component of mitochondrial dysfunction and to describe the promising and little-studied AAA + LonP1 protease as a potential target in metabolic disorders.

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International development assistance is an integral part of the foreign economic and foreign policy activities of the US government. International aid is one of the largest components of US foreign relations spending and is regarded by many members of Congress as one of the most important foreign policy instruments. However, many US citizens and members of Congress feel that the US cannot afford such international aid spending, given the current budget deficit and competing budgetary priorities. As one of the largest donors of international development aid, the United States is of considerable interest to many researchers, including those who study trends in the polarization of attitudes toward foreign policy, including international aid. This article is devoted to the current US policy in the field of international development cooperation at the beginning of the presidency of Joe Biden. It examines the economic component of US government assistance: the total amount of US economic assistance, as well as the structure of international aid spending and country priorities for US economic assistance, are considered. An assessment of the prospects for US assistance is presented based on an analysis of the Joint Strategic Plan of the State Department and the Agency for International Assistance 2022-2026 and the US National Security Strategy 2022. Despite the stability and relative inertia of the international aid system, one can observe an increase in US interest in development assistance after the transition of power to President Biden, including in the context of competition with China.

International development aid in the format of economic assistance is a significant component of the global political and economic strategy of the United States, which has been and remains the world leader in terms of providing economic development aid. This aid is used, first and foremost, to achieve the country’s national interests; however, with the advent of each new president, an adjustment takes place that changes the volumes, directions, and formats of assistance. This work is dedicated to examining US policies in the field of international cooperation for development. The issues of participation in this system and the evolution of the philosophy, goals and directions of assistance provided by the United States are considered. General issues of the development of the assistance system are touched upon. The period of Donald Trump’s presidency is considered in detail, including the interaction of his administration with legislators, as well as the transformation that took place in the field of development assistance with the advent of Joseph Biden. Based on a comparison of data on budget requests and decisions made on financing international assistance, the main conclusions about the inertia of the American development assistance system are formulated.

Аннотация. Определение и анализ факторов, влияющих на параметры международной помощи со стороны стран-доноров, является одним из направлений исследований содействия международному развитию. В исследовании изучались взаимосвязи между экономическими и институциональными параметрами стран-доноров и долей их двусторонней официальной помощи развитию в общем объеме официальной помощи развитию, оказываемой странами-донорами. Проведен межстрановой анализ связи показателей доли двусторонней помощи, отношения общего объема официальной помощи развитию к валовому национальному доходу, валового национального дохода на душу населения стран-доноров. Исследовалась также связь показателя доли двусторонней помощи с некоторыми институциональными характеристиками стран-доноров. Результаты свидетельствуют о возможной положительной связи макроэкономических параметров с долей двусторонней официальной помощи развитию. По отдельным институциональным характеристикам также была выявлена возможная положительная связь с долей двусторонней помощи. Так, усиление противодействия коррупции в странах-донорах коррелирует с ростом доли их двусторонней официальной помощи развитию. Сделан общий вывод о наличии положительной взаимосвязи между увеличением доли двусторонней официальной помощи развитию и ростом экономического потенциала стран-доноров, а также укреплением их институтов. Ключевые слова: содействие международному развитию; двустороннее официальное содействие развитию; двусторонняя международная помощь; страныдоноры; валовой национальный доход; Всемирный банк; качество государственного управления; коррупция.