bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of the Correlation between the Use of Antibiotics in Aquaculture Systems and Their Detection in Aquatic Environments: A Case Study of the Nera River Aquafarms in Italy
Authors: Sargenti Marta , Bartolacci Silvia , Luciani Aurora , Di Biagio Katiuscia , Baldini Marco , Galarini Roberta , Giusepponi Danilo , Capuccella Marinella
Published: June 2020

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) arises mostly because of the use and abuse of antibiotics in both the human and veterinary sectors. Furthermore, antibiotic residues can be discharged into the environment, promoting the spread of AMR as well as becoming a potential ecotoxicological risk. Aquaculture is one such source of environmental pollution. In the present work, we evaluated the correlation between antibiotic consumption in 11 selected aquafarms located along the Nera River, and the detection of their residues in surface water and sediment samples gathered monthly from the same stream. Antibiotic consumption was calculated using the ESVAC defined daily doses for animals (DDDvet) method, and a chemical analysis was conducted using a multiclass method. Therefore, the ecological risk of antibiotics being detected in surface waters was established based on the risk quotient (RQ). A strong positive correlation was identified between the concentrations detected in surface waters and the consumption of flumequine (r = 72%, p-value = 0.0085) and florfenicol (r = 83%, p-value = 0.0008). The RQ, however, was low for all the detected antibiotics in surface waters. Therefore, we proved that the antibiotics used in aquaculture can reach the near aquatic environment, but, in this work, they did not represent a toxicological risk to the surrounding ecosystem.
The Acceptability of Faecal Microbiota Transplant for Anterior Resection Syndrome (AFFINITY) Study
Authors: Powell-Chandler Anna , Withers Kathleen L. , Carolan-Rees Grace , Cornish Julie A.
Published: June 2020

Low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) is recognised as disordered bowel function after rectal resection. Temporary ileostomy is associated with LARS and with reduced colonic bacteria. Faecal microbiota transplant (FMT) is the introduction of enteric bacteria from healthy donors into a patient’s gut. We hypothesise that FMT could improve bowel function after ileostomy reversal. We aim to determine whether FMT would be acceptable to patients. Patients who had undergone anterior resection in the previous two years across four sites were sent questionnaires. A group of patients were invited to a focus group to explore their views further. There were 98 eligible patients, of whom 40 responded (41%); 67% were male, median age was 67 (range 31–83) years, and 11 still had a stoma. Of those who had their stoma reversed, 52% had major LARS symptoms. Sixty-five percent thought the concept of FMT sounded effective and 70% were willing to try it. A healthy anonymous donor and FMT via enema were the most acceptable options to the respondents. Seven patients attended the focus group; 2 female, 5 male, mean age 66 (range 45–75) years. All patients thought FMT was acceptable but the word “faecal” made it less acceptable. All participants would consider entering a trial with FMT as a treatment option. The main concerns were safety and efficacy. The majority of patients who responded thought FMT was acceptable and were willing to try it as a potential treatment option.
Publisher’s Note on Sustainable Chemistry
Authors: Lin Shu-Kun
Published: June 2020

In early 2009, Dr [...]
Analysis of Homotopy Decomposition Varieties in Quotient Topological Spaces
Authors: Bagchi Susmit
Published: June 2020

The fundamental groups and homotopy decompositions of algebraic topology have applications in systems involving symmetry breaking with topological excitations. The main aim of this paper is to analyze the properties of homotopy decompositions in quotient topological spaces depending on the connectedness of the space and the fundamental groups. This paper presents constructions and analysis of two varieties of homotopy decompositions depending on the variations in topological connectedness of decomposed subspaces. The proposed homotopy decomposition considers connected fundamental groups, where the homotopy equivalences are relaxed and the homeomorphisms between the fundamental groups are maintained. It is considered that one fundamental group is strictly homotopy equivalent to a set of 1-spheres on a plane and as a result it is homotopy rigid. The other fundamental group is topologically homeomorphic to the first one within the connected space and it is not homotopy rigid. The homotopy decompositions are analyzed in quotient topological spaces, where the base space and the quotient space are separable topological spaces. In specific cases, the decomposed quotient space symmetrically extends Sierpinski space with respect to origin. The connectedness of fundamental groups in the topological space is maintained by open curve embeddings without enforcing the conditions of homotopy classes on it. The extended decomposed quotient topological space preserves the trivial group structure of Sierpinski space.
Simple Solutions of Lattice Sums for Electric Fields Due to Infinitely Many Parallel Line Charges
Authors: Vigren Erik , Dieckmann Andreas
Published: June 2020

We present surprisingly simple closed-form solutions for electric fields and electric potentials at arbitrary position ( x ,   y ) within a plane crossed by infinitely long line charges at regularly repeating positions using angular or elliptic functions with complex arguments. The lattice sums for the electric-field components and the electric potentials could be exactly solved, and the duality symmetry of trigonometric and lemniscate functions occurred in some solutions. The results may have relevance in calculating field configurations with rectangular boundary conditions. Several series related to Gauss’s constant are presented, established either as corollary results or via parallel investigations conducted in the spirit of experimental mathematics.
Metabolic Traits of Bovine Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) Strains with Different Colonization Properties
Authors: Barth Stefanie A. , Weber Michael , Schaufler Katharina , Berens Christian , Geue Lutz , Menge Christian
Published: June 2020

Cattle harbor Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in their intestinal tract, thereby providing these microorganisms with an ecological niche, but without this colonization leading to any clinical signs. In a preceding study, genotypic characterization of bovine STEC isolates unveiled that their ability to colonize cattle persistently (STECper) or only sporadically (STECspo) is more closely associated with the overall composition of the accessory rather than the core genome. However, the colonization pattern could not be unequivocally linked to the possession of classical virulence genes. This study aimed at assessing, therefore, if the presence of certain phenotypic traits in the strains determines their colonization pattern and if these can be traced back to distinctive genetic features. STECspo strains produced significantly more biofilm than STECper when incubated at lower temperatures. Key substrates, the metabolism of which showed a significant association with colonization type, were glyoxylic acid and L-rhamnose, which were utilized by STECspo, but not or only by some STECper. Genomic sequences of the respective glc and rha operons contained mutations and frameshifts in uptake and/or regulatory genes, particularly in STECper. These findings suggest that STECspo conserved features leveraging survival in the environment, whereas the acquisition of a persistent colonization phenotype in the cattle reservoir was accompanied by the loss of metabolic properties and genomic mutations in the underlying genetic pathways.
Family Income and Gang Presence in the Neighborhood: Diminished Returns of Black Families
Authors: Assari Shervin , Boyce Shanika , Caldwell Cleopatra H. , Bazargan Mohsen , Mincy Ron
Published: June 2020

Background: Based on the Minorities’ Diminished Returns (MDRs) framework, indicators of high socioeconomic status, such as higher family income, show weaker protective effects on various developmental, behavioral, and health outcomes for Black than White families. As a result of these MDRs, Black families who access education and income still report high levels of depression, smoking, obesity, and chronic disease. Limited knowledge exists on MDRs of income on neighborhood quality. Aims: Built on the MDRs framework, this study tested the hypothesis of whether the effect of family income and maternal education at birth on neighborhood gang presence varies between Black and White families. The hypotheses were that: (1) higher income families would report lower gang presence in their neighborhood, and (2) compared to Whites, Blacks would show weaker protective effects of family income on gang presence in their neighborhood. Methods: The Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study is a 15-year follow up study of a random sample of births in cities with larger than 200,000 population. Two thousand nine hundred and nineteen White or Black families were included and were followed from birth of their child for 15 years. The predictors were family income and maternal education at birth, treated as categorical variables. The outcome was gang presence in the neighborhood at age 15. Logistic regression was used for data analysis. Results: Higher maternal education at birth was inversely associated with gang presence in the neighborhoods, while family income at birth did not show an effect on reducing gang presence in the neighborhood at age 15. Family income at birth and race interact, suggesting that the association between family income at birth and gang presence in the neighborhood at age 15 was weaker for Black than White families. Our race-stratified models also showed an inverse effect of family income at birth on gang presence in the neighborhood at age 15 in White but not Black families. Conclusions: Diminished returns of family income at birth on neighborhood safety and social disorder may be a mechanism that contributes to racial health disparities in higher socioeconomic status and also poor outcomes for Black families across socioeconomic status (SES) levels. That is, a smaller protective effect of family income on changing the real lives of Black compared to White families may be one of the mechanisms by which health is worse than expected in Black families, across the entire SES spectrum. The health, behavioral, and developmental disparities are not only due to the racial gap in SES but also diminishing returns of socioeconomic status indicators such as family income for racial minorities. Research should study contextual and structural factors that reduce Black families’ ability to mobilize their human capital and secure health outcomes in urban settings.
Non-Volatile Particle Number Emission Measurements with Catalytic Strippers: A Review
Authors: Giechaskiel Barouch , Melas Anastasios D. , Lähde Tero , Martini Giorgio
Published: June 2020

Vehicle regulations include limits for non-volatile particle number emissions with sizes larger than 23 nm. The measurements are conducted with systems that remove the volatile particles by means of dilution and heating. Recently, the option of measuring from 10 nm was included in the Global Technical Regulation (GTR 15) as an additional option to the current >23 nm methodology. In order to avoid artefacts, i.e., measuring volatile particles that have nucleated downstream of the evaporation tube, a heated oxidation catalyst (i.e., catalytic stripper) is required. This review summarizes the studies with laboratory aerosols that assessed the volatile removal efficiency of evaporation tube and catalytic stripper-based systems using hydrocarbons, sulfuric acid, mixture of them, and ammonium sulfate. Special emphasis was given to distinguish between artefacts that happened in the 10–23 nm range or below. Furthermore, studies with vehicles’ aerosols that reported artefacts were collected to estimate critical concentration levels of volatiles. Maximum expected levels of volatiles for mopeds, motorcycles, light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles were also summarized. Both laboratory and vehicle studies confirmed the superiority of catalytic strippers in avoiding artefacts. Open issues that need attention are the sulfur storage capacity and the standardization of technical requirements for catalytic strippers.
Variation in Runoff, Suspended Sediment Load, and Their Inter-Relationships in Response to Climate Change and Anthropogenic Activities Over the Last 60 Years: A Case Study of the Upper Fenhe River Basin, China
Authors: Zhang Luan , Li Suqing , Wu Zhitao , Fan Xiaohui , Li Hongjian , Meng Qi , Wang Jing
Published: June 2020

The variation of river runoff (Q) and suspended sediment load (S), in addition to their influential factors, is an important area of focus in hydrological sciences. Here, Mann–Kendall tests and double mass curve analyses were used with hydrometric data from four hydrological stations in the upper Fenhe River Basin in China to evaluate temporal trends in annual Q (Qa) and S (Sa) values between 1955 and 2015. Based on the observed inflection points, three distinct periods were identified, namely, 1955–early 1980s (period I), the early 1980s–1996 (period II), and 1996–2015 (period III). The Qa and Sa values for the four stations, except for Qa values for the Jingle station, significantly decreased over the study period, with average reduction rates of 0.68–1.07 mm∙km−2∙a−1 and 9.24–54.39 t∙km−2∙a−1, respectively. Decreased rainfall, implementation of soil and water conservation program, and reservoir construction were primarily responsible for decreased Qa and Sa values for the three stations during period II, while the first two factors led to variation in Qa and Sa for the Jingle station during the same period. During period III, the Qa, Sa, and Qa–Sa relationships for the four stations were intensively affected by increased anthropogenic activities, including water diversion, cross-basin water transfers, soil and water conservation measures, revegetation efforts, and sand excavation. Further, the Qa, Sa, and Qa–Sa relationships at the Lancun station were affected by the construction of the No. 2 Fenhe Reservoir. Effective water use and supply strategies should be implemented in the future for the upper Fenhe River Basin.
Bioremediation of Landoltia punctata to Microcystis aeruginosa Contaminated Waters
Authors: Li Shi , Le Sixiu , Li Guolin , Luo Mei , Wang Rui , Zhao Yun
Published: June 2020

Microcystis aeruginosa is one of the dominant algae in the “phytoplankton bloom” phenomenon. A high density of microcystins (MCs) are produced when algae have explosive growth, which can damage the water environment and pose a great threat to aquatic animals, plants, and human health. Duckweed (Landoltia punctata) is a morphologically highly degraded flowering plant with a short growth cycle and wide environmental adaptability. Importantly, duckweed can grow in eutrophic water and has great potential in water remediation. The present study aims to analyze the physiological and biochemical changes of L. punctata when co-culturing with M. aeruginosa in the laboratory. Our results showed that all the biomass, chlorophyll content, antioxidant enzyme activities, and amylase activity of L. punctata increased in 2 × 108 cells/L and 4 × 108 cells/L for M. aeruginosa, and also significantly reduced in 1.6 × 109 cells/L for M. aeruginosa, while cytotoxic substance (malondialdehyde (MDA)) content showed a completely opposite trend. After co-culturing, it was found that the MC content in L. punctata reduced to 138.87 g/g, and the MC removal rate was 29.48%. These results indicate that L. punctata can grow normally in high-density M. aeruginosa, which paves the way for L. punctata’s bioremediation of water polluted by M. aeruginosa.
Evolution of the Materials and Methods Used for Subsurface Drainage of Agricultural Lands from Antiquity to the Present
Authors: Yannopoulos Stavros I. , Grismer Mark E. , Bali Khaled M. , Angelakis Andreas N.
Published: June 2020

Agricultural drainage plays an important role worldwide in food production and conservation of soil resources, while safeguarding investments in agricultural production and irrigation projects. It can improve crop yields and land productivity, especially on poorly drained soils and in cases of prolonged waterlogging. Both the subsurface drainage materials and the installation techniques used have a long history dating to prehistoric times. Over time, new subsurface drainage materials, installation techniques and modernized equipment were being developed continuously to take advantage of technological advances provided through research and development, while the planning and organization of the implementation process were improved. Today’s new materials and improved installation methods can offer solutions to problems still unsolved, while sometimes creating new ones. This paper considers the evolution of basic subsurface drainage materials and their installation techniques as they developed and adapted over time as well as possible future trends in drainage system design and application.
Analysis of the Possibility of Using the Plain CFD Model to Simulate Two-Phase Flows in Spatial Systems of Pressure Sewer Networks
Authors: Siwicki Piotr , Krukowski Marcin , Studziński Jan , Szeląg Bartosz , Wojciechowski Rafał
Published: June 2020

The paper analyzes the possibility of using the CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) method to predict the amount of sewage remaining in siphons after a full air blast of the pressure sewer system. For this purpose, the results from measurements carried out on a laboratory installation were compared with the results obtained from modelling using a spatial model (3D) and a plain model (2D) of the installation. To determine these models, the structure of the VOF (Volume of Fluid) model was used in the CFD method. The simulation calculations carried out make it possible to state that the use of the plain model with the development of the installation modelled in the plan does not result in significant deterioration of the obtained results. The possibility of using 2D models for modelling pumped sewer systems allows for a significant shortening of the calculation time, which, in practice, results in the possibility of modelling much larger and longer installations than is possible with 3D models.
Development of a Regeneration Technique for Aluminum-Rich and Iron-Rich Phosphorus Sorption Materials
Authors: S. P. C. Scott Isis , J. Penn Chad , Huang Chi-hua
Published: June 2020

The reduction of dissolved phosphorus (P) transport to water systems is of critical importance for water quality. Phosphorus sorption materials (PSMs) are media with high affinity for dissolved P, and therefore serve as the core components of P removal structures. These structures can intercept dissolved P in surface and subsurface flows, before discharge into water bodies. While the P removal ability of PSMs has been extensively studied, lesser is known about the capacity to regenerate and recover P from P-saturated PSMs. This article evaluates a methodology to recover the P removal ability of aluminum- and iron-rich P-saturated PSMs. A series of flow-through experiments were conducted, alternating between P sorption (0.5 and 50 mg L − 1 P) and desorption with potassium hydroxide (KOH; 5 or 20 pore volumes [PV]), varying residence times (0.5 min and 10 min), and number of recirculations (0, 6 and 24). Across two cycles of sorption-desorption, Alcan, Biomax and PhosRedeem showed an average P recovery of 81%, 79%, and 7%, with standard deviation of 10%, 21% and 6%, respectively. The most effective regeneration treatment was characterized by the largest KOH volume (20 PV) and no recirculation, with up to 100% reported P recovery. Although KOH at 5 PV was less effective, the use of recirculation did increase P recovery. The lifetime of Al/Fe-dominated PSMs in P removal structures can be extended through feasible regeneration techniques demonstrated in this study, for both high and low P concentration scenarios.
Experimental and Numerical Investigations of Hydraulics in Water Intake with Stop-Log Gate
Authors: Ren Weichen , Wei Jie , Xie Qiancheng , Miao Baoguang , Wang Lijie
Published: June 2020

A stop-log gate, installed in water intake of hydropower project, has become an effective facility in achieving selective withdrawal and temperature control for the sake of benefiting downstream ecosystems. Hence, it is of great importance to comprehensively explore the water intake hydraulics with the gate, not limited to some specific case studies. This study deals, through laboratory experiments and numerical simulations, with flow features of such a gate-functioned intake. The physical model test is used to validate the numerical simulation. Subsequently, a series of numerical cases considering different hydraulic and geometric conditions are performed to help look into the behaviors. Particular attention is paid to the flow regimes, head loss and flow velocity distributions. The results showcase the effect of the gate on the intake flow regime, and in terms of head loss and flow velocity distribution, the influences of the upstream water head, intake chamber width and withdrawal depth are revealed in detail. An empirical expression, with regard to the coefficient of head loss, is derived and validated by data from the available literature. Moreover, it is found that the maximum velocity at trash rack section is dependent exclusively on the relative withdrawal depth and always occurs at a certain height range above the gate. These results may provide a meaningful reference for the research of water intake with similar situations.
Numerical 3D Model Development and Validation of Curb-Cut Inlet for Efficiency Prediction
Authors: Shevade Leena Jaydeep , Lo L. James , Montalto Franco A.
Published: June 2020

Green infrastructure (GI) is a decentralized stormwater management strategy that can simultaneously enhance the resilience of the urban landscape to weather-related stressors. The effectiveness of individual GI facilities is determined by the physical characteristics of the tributary area and inlet, including factors such as slope and geometry, apron configuration, roughness, and clogging, all of which have been inadequately studied. In this paper, we construct, calibrate, and validate a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model using field survey data collected at a Bronx, NY GI facility. The validated CFD model is used to evaluate how inlet clogging and flow rate affect GI inlet performance. Seven flow rates ranging from 0.00044 to 0.00755 CMS were simulated. As the flow rate increased, the inlet efficiency dropped from 100% to 60% at one location (the SW inlet) and from 100% to 25% at another location (the NW inlet). At a fixed flow rate, the inlet efficiency dropped from 100% efficient (with no clogging) to 0% (with the inlet fully clogged). The stage-discharge relationship for the inlet based on the simulated field conditions deviated from that assumed based on normative flow and was revised. We suggest that GI facilities installed on mild- slope, or rough streets be fitted with non-clogging inlets to maintain free outfall conditions.
Groundwater–Surface Water Interaction—Analytical Approach
Authors: Nawalany Marek , Sinicyn Grzegorz , Grodzka-Łukaszewska Maria , Mirosław-Świątek Dorota
Published: June 2020

Modelling of water flow in the hyporheic zone and calculations of water exchange between groundwater and surface waters are important issues in modern environmental research. The article presents the Analytical Hyporheic Flux approach (AHF) permitting calculation of the amount of water exchange in the hyporheic zone, including vertical water seepage through the streambed and horizontal seepage through river banks. The outcome of the model, namely water fluxes, is compared with the corresponding results from the numerical model SEEP2D and simple Darcy-type model. The errors of the AHF model, in a range of 11–16%, depend on the aspect ratio of water depth to river width, and the direction of the river–aquifer water exchange, i.e., drainage or infiltration. The AHF model errors are significantly lower compared to the often-used model based on vertical water seepage through the streambed described by Darcy’s law.
Temporal Variations of Submarine Groundwater Discharge into a Tide-Dominated Coastal Wetland (Gaomei Wetland, Western Taiwan) Indicated by Radon and Radium Isotopes
Authors: Hsu Feng-Hsin , Su Chih-Chieh , Wang Pei-Ling , Lin In-Tian
Published: June 2020

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is evidenced around Taiwan, but the seasonal/temporal changes of SGD have not been fully examined. Here, we report a time-series investigation of SGD into a tide-dominated coastal wetland, the Gaomei Wetland, located to the south of the Da-Chia River’s mouth, western Taiwan, by using environmental tracers (222Rn, 224Raex, 228Ra, δD, and δ18O). Our results showed that regardless of dry and wet seasons, the 222Rn activities in coastal waters were high at low tide but low at high tide. It represents the continuous input of 222Rn-enriched groundwater. However, the 224Raex and 228Ra activities showed seasonal changes with tide conditions. In the dry season, the 224Raex and 228Ra activities in coastal waters were low at low tide but high at high tide; whereas in the wet season, an opposite relation was observed with quite high 224Raex and 228Ra activities in the low-tide waters. Coupled with the lower δD and δ18O values of coastal and pore waters in the dry season, in comparison to those in the wet season, it is suggested that these phenomena probably reflected a seasonal difference in the main SGD component with fresh SGD in the dry season, but saline ones in the wet season. Based on a 222Rn mass balance model, the estimated SGD fluxes into the Gaomei Wetland varied with tidal fluctuations and ranged from 0.2 to 25 cm d−1 and from 0.1 to 47 cm d−1 for the dry and wet seasons, respectively. A slightly high SGD flux occurring during the wet season at spring tide, implied a stronger tidal pumping coupled with a larger hydraulic gradient between land and sea. In this study, we demonstrated that the variation of SGD into the Gaomei Wetland is not only controlled by the seasonal changes of groundwater recharge, but also by the tidal pumping process.
Temporal and Spatial Variation of Soil Moisture and Its Possible Impact on Regional Air Temperature in China
Authors: Han Guolin , Wang Jialin , Pan Yuying , Huang Na , Zhang Ziyuan , Peng Ruiqi , Wang Zizhong , Sun Guofeng , Liu Cong , Ma Shangqian , Song Yu , Pan Zhihua
Published: June 2020

Soil moisture is closely related to the hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere, which makes it one of the most significant climate variables. Using data from the National Environmental Forecasting Center (NCEP), this paper analyzes the temporal and spatial characteristics of soil moisture at a depth of 0–10 cm in China for the period of 1948 to 2014. In addition, the soil moisture’s possible interaction with air temperature is explored. Mainly using statistical analysis, the results showed that annual soil moisture decreased significantly (p < 0.01) in most areas. The tendency of decreasing soil moisture was relatively higher in spring and autumn than that in summer and winter. As to the national annual average soil moisture, there was a sudden change in the 1970s. The soil moisture had a relatively high value with a larger deviation before the abrupt change, but after that, the soil moisture was at a relatively low level with a smaller deviation. It was also found that the soil moisture at 0–10 cm showed a negative correlation with the 2-m air temperature above ground in the northern part of China, where the speed of the temperature rise was higher. The results are expected to help improve the understanding of the link between regional soil moisture variation and climate change.
Pharmacists detecting atrial fibrillation in general practice: a qualitative focus group study
Authors: Savickas Vilius , Veale Emma L , Bhamra Sukvinder K , Stewart Adrian J , Mathie Alistair , Corlett Sarah
Published: June 2020

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects up to 10% of people aged ≥65 years, yet a third of all cases remain undetected. Practice-based pharmacists are in an ideal position to facilitate opportunistic AF screening, while increasing general practice capacity at a time of workforce crisis.

Aim

To explore the perspectives of three stakeholder groups involved in the ‘Pharmacists Detecting Atrial Fibrillation’ (PDAF) study to elucidate the facilitators and barriers to pharmacist-led AF screening in general practice.

Design & setting

A qualitative study took place, comprising homogeneous focus groups with stakeholders in Kent, UK.

Method

The stakeholder groups — patients, general practice staff (GPS), and clinical pharmacists (CPs) — were recruited using convenience sampling. Audio-recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a deductive Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) approach.

Results

Twenty-five patients, four pharmacists, and nine practice staff participated in six focus groups. Three main themes were identified: knowledge and awareness; prioritisation of resources; and environmental considerations. The public’s lack of awareness of AF-related risks and pharmacist-led screening services was highlighted. Practice-based pharmacists were perceived as an underutilised educational resource which, together with novel electrocardiogram devices, enabled convenient access to screening while reducing GPs’ workload. Participants agreed that AF screening should be incorporated into personalised health checks and at-risk groups should be prioritised, such as care home residents. Patients favoured the general practice environment over the community pharmacy where concerns of privacy, staffing, and commercialisation were raised.

Conclusion

The findings of this study support the introduction of pharmacist-led AF screening programmes in general practice surgeries. Commissioners should consider the added value of utilising CPs and focus on the delivery of AF screening within an integrated service.
Intellectual stimulation in family medicine: an international qualitative study of student perceptions
Authors: Sahota Kiran , Goeres Patrick , Kelly Martina , Tang Eugene , Hofmeister Marianna , Alberti Hugh
Published: June 2020

Background

Globally, medical schools struggle to ensure there is a sufficient number of graduates choosing family medicine as a career to meet societal needs. While factors impacting career choice are complex, one possible disincentive to choosing family medicine is the perception that it is less intellectually stimulating than specialty care.

Aim

The study sought to elicit student views on intellectual stimulation in family medicine, and their understanding of academic family medicine.

Design & setting

This is a qualitative focus group study of volunteer students from the University of Calgary, Canada, and Newcastle University, UK.

Method

Six focus groups were conducted with 51 participants. The data were analysed thematically.

Results

Students associated intellectual stimulation in family medicine with clinical practice. Intellectual stimulation was related to problem solving and the challenge of having to know a little about everything, along with clinical uncertainty and the need to be vigilant to avoid missing diagnoses. Student awareness of academic family medicine was limited, and students identified it with teaching rather than research.

Conclusion

Promoting intellectual stimulation in family medicine requires educators to highlight the breadth and variety of knowledge required in family medicine, as well as the need to manage clinical uncertainty and to be vigilant to avoid missing diagnoses. Exposure to academic family medicine could enhance students’ understanding and appreciation of the role of research in family medicine.
LEGAL STANDARDS OF THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS REGARDING REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSIBILITY OF EVIDENCE IN CRIMINFL PROCEEDINGS
Authors: Mazur O.
Published: June 2020

The article deals with the requirements of the European Court of Human Rights regarding evidence and evidence, which are disclosed in the provision of paragraph 3 of Article 6 “The right to a fair trial” of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the latest practice of the Supreme Court regarding the criteria for admissibility of evidence and analysis of the current criminal procedural law.

As you know, the attitude of the state towards the protection of human rights and freedoms is one of the indicators of its democracy. Ukraine has chosen the European Community as the main strategic vector of development. Such a vector provides for the unification of the regulatory framework in accordance with European legislation, as well as compliance by law enforcement agencies with international standards for the protection of the rights and freedoms of citizens. That is why, the corresponding rule is enshrined in the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, providing that the rule of law in criminal proceedings is applied taking into account the practice of the European Court of Human Rights (part 2 of article 8).

A detailed analysis of the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine regarding the admissibility of evidence in criminal proceedings and the relationship of these norms with the legal positions of the European Court of Human Rights is carried out.

They also examined the requirements of the European Court of Human Rights regarding the admissibility of evidence in decisions in which a violation by the state of the norms of the Convention was found, and in decisions in which such a violation was not found.

So, summarizing and analyzing the practice of the ECHR, we saw that the Court emphasizes that a guilty verdict cannot be generally based only on inadmissible evidence, and if such a sentence is pronounced, then this is a violation of Article 1 6 of the Convention in respect of an unfair trial.

Therefore, the investigator, prosecutor, investigating judge and judge should take into account the relevant practice of the ECHR and the norms of the Convention in their procedural activities in order to avoid these violations and to submit complaints to the European Court of Human Rights in the future.
SOME ASPECTS OF THE HISTORY OF THE APPLICATION OF THE PROFILING METHOD
Authors: Kaliuha K.
Published: June 2020

The article is devoted to the analysis of the origins of the method of profiling the identity of an unknown criminal. The development of the application of the possibilities of profiling the personality of a criminal and the practice of its application in the activities of law enforcement agencies in the investigation of crimes are investigated. Based on the concept of profiling, as from English. Profile is an integrated crime prevention technique by highlighting the characteristics of persons who committed a crime or are preparing to make it on the basis of psychological, criminological, criminalistic and sociological knowledge; a set of methods and techniques for assessing and predicting human behavior based on the analysis of the most informative signs, forensic portrait of a person, characteristics of appearance, non-verbal and verbal behavior, location, etc.

We noted that there is a lot of research by foreign and Ukrainian scientists on the problems of using profiling technology, but not enough attention has been paid to the history of the practice of applying the profiling method. The main names of scientists and the features of their teachings were listed in the abstract, as the stages of development of the introduction of the profiling method in the practice of disclosing and investigating crimes by law enforcement agencies.

We said that now the technology of the profiling method is not used as a mandatory measure in the investigation and disclosure of crimes. There are fundamentals of such activities, but it is too early to talk about the widespread use of profiling. At the same time, it can be noted that profiling was successfully used in the disclosure of some resonant crimes related to serial killings.

We agreed with individual authors that research on forensic profiling and the behavioral aspects of crimes in Ukraine are in the early stages of development. We noted that since profiling is a young science, it is constantly evolving, and its fields of application are expanding. Today, profiling techniques are used in the field of preventive medicine to correct and prevent the emergence of diseases of psychosomatic etiology. There is also the so-called family profiling, with the help of which specialists try to help family members in solving their family problems. In addition to forensic, criminal and criminological, there is aviation, anti-terrorist, research, psychological, information security profiling, typological. Also, transport, hotel business profiling, personnel, banking and the like.

We concluded that profiling technology is a universal comprehensive and modern tool that is advisable to use in law enforcement agencies in investigative, operational, personnel and administrative activities, etc. The history of its development is only gaining momentum. However, today, in law enforcement agencies, not only the profiling technique is not widely used. They do not use this term at all.
INNOVATIVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE STEP- BY- STEP ESSENTIAL SPECIES DIVISION OF SUBJECTIVE, OBJECTIVE AND MIXED SOURCES OF ANTIDELICTUAL INFORMATION
Authors: Kyrychenko O. , Tuntula O. , Tkach Yu.
Published: June 2020

The introduction discusses the shortcomings of the existing legal regulation of the essence and species diversity of material evidence and personal sources of antitort information and the efforts made by scientists to eliminate them.

The purpose of research is the scientific validation of basic provisions of the innovative understanding of the step-by-step essential species division of subjective, objective and mixed sources of antidelictual information and initiating discussions on the development of the conventional ways to resolve this problem.

The main part of the innovative understanding of the step-by-step essential species division of subjective, objective and mixed sources of antidelictual information.

Disclosed the essence of the species and detailed division of personal resources. Particular attention is given to species division of witnesses on the eyewitness, the paraeyewitness, the parawitness and the poliwitness, the injured, on the de-facto injured, the de-facto parainjured, the de-jure injured and the de-jure parainjured and persecuted – the suspected, accused, defendant, convicted, justified, participial, para participial, kvaziparticipial and kvaziparaparticipial. It was emphasized that the participial appears in the absence of sufficient and consistent body of meaningful, trustworthy and benign of evidence for recognition as a persecuted person guilty or innocent; paraparticipial person, if the person, who committed the criminal offense, did not reach the age of punishment; quasiparticipial person is non-convicted; and a quasiparticipial person – in the absence of action in the anticriminal code.

The essence and the relationship of the tracks (prints, diagnostic mapping, situational mapping) and of the substances (objects, devices, mechanisms, appliances, bodies, substances).

Disclosed the essence, species division and correlation of the subjective, objective, and mixed documents based on letter-documents, image-documents, photo-documents, audio-documents, video-documents, cinema-documents, holograms-documents, electrograph-documents, electronic-documents, plasticdocuments, computer-documents, poly-documents and other types of documents, that may appear as information technology evolves.

In conclusion, given that the innovative understanding of the step-by-step essential species division of subjective, objective and mixed sources of antidelictual information can be the basis for the final resolution of this problem.
HOLOGRAMS ON DESTRACTIVE BASIS AS A MEAN OF PROTECTING AGAINST FORGING OF DRIVER’S LICENCES OF THE THIRD GENERATION MANUFACTURED ON A POLYCARBONATE BASIS
Authors: Аnanin O.
Published: June 2020

Today in Ukraine there is an increase in the facts of law enforcement agencies identifying driver’s licenses of the third generation on a polycarbonate basis, with signs of fake. Despite a fairly high level of protection against fakes, the driver’s license protection system has number of significant drawbacks. In particular, it is possible to delaminate them, delete primary texts, an image and make the changes necessary for attackers. Thus, there is a problem of reuse of original forms of documents in the implementation of fakes. The solution to this problem may be the use of additional special protective equipment – holograms on a destructive basis.

Structurally, a destructive-based hologram is an aluminum layer that directly contains a holographic image placed between two layers of special glue and covered with a transparent film. The destruction is based on the principle of adhesion of adhesives, that is, the adhesion force of one layer of glue is greater than the adhesion force of another layer of glue. Due to this, the hologram is destroyed under mechanical action on it. To restore such a holographic image is very difficult and expensive, which provides a kind of protection.

A hologram on a destructive basis can serve as a seal and provide the ability visually to control access to the form of a document that they tried to delaminate for subsequent unauthorized changes.

The main task of holograms on a destructive basis is the creation of additional obstacles for counterfeiters in the process of delamination of the document form and separation of laminating films.

Compared to other additional security features, such as an electronic secure storage medium and a machine-readable zone (used in the driver’s licenses of a number of EU countries), the advantages of holograms on a destructive basis are relatively low cost with the complexity of high-quality imitation of existing copying devices and printing devices, and also the need for special knowledge in the field of physicochemical properties of various materials.

The direction of further research, it is advisable to highlight the development of software; web design; laser technology; polymers; holography, printing and technical properties of materials; electronic means of protection.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES IN HANDWRITING RESEARCH
Authors: Bandurko V.
Published: June 2020

The article is devoted to the consideration of working situations that may arise with comparative samples of signatures provided for research during the relevant examinations. Possible changes in regulatory legal acts that will optimize the work of an expert during judicial handwriting examinations are highlighted.

The main goal of this article is to consider the practical situations that an expert has when studying and working with comparative samples received for research. An analysis of expert practice will help minimize expert errors, which in turn will affect the objectivity of an expert’s opinion.

The article sets out the situations that arise at the stage of studying materials that can affect the objectivity and categorization of an expert’s opinion: -providing free samples of signatures in documents issued to another person; -providing free samples of signatures in documents with amendments, supplements, incorrect indication of the name, and signature of the current user of the subscriber book or the owner of the document (passport). The situations discussed will help interns, novice experts in the study of materials received for research. It should be noted that a superficial approach at the stage of their research might lead to the need for additional examinations.

The article can be useful to judges, assistant judges, representatives of law enforcement agencies, lawyers when assigning a handwriting examination and can help to reduce the time for the examination.
ROLE OF AUTO-TECHNICAL EXFMIANTION IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATION OF ROAD ACCIDENTS
Authors: Hryhir H.
Published: June 2020

This article discusses issues related to the implementation of engineering and transport examinations during the administrative investigation of a traffic accident. The author discloses the procedure for the appointment of an examination and the provision of initial data, which an expert must take into account when resolving issues posed to him.

In practice, in the administrative investigation of traffic accidents that are classified as technical types of violations, due to the specificity of the category of cases under consideration, one of the main evidence is the implementation of engineering and transport examinations. The fact that the engineering and transport expertise is not the latest evidence in cases of administrative offenses and making decisions on them requires an increase in the quality of the collection of primary information and leads to an increase in the need for engineering and transport expertise at a higher level.

Difficulty arises in posing the questions posed for the permission of the examination, in the consistency of the initial data collected by the police, which should ensure the completeness of the investigation of the mechanism of the traffic accident. As well as in establishing the causes and links to the incident of any actions or inaction of the participants in the traffic accident.
THE RELATIONSHIP OF FUNCTIONAL WEAR AND THE MOST EFFECTIVE USE OF REAL ESTATE
Authors: Pasko R.
Published: June 2020

The concepts of most efficient use (MEU) of real estate objects and functional wear and tear are closely interrelated and cannot be considered separately. The application of the MEU principle allows the expert to account for this type of wear and, vice versa, without the wear and tear, the expert cannot properly apply the MEU principle in all approaches.

In the article, special attention is paid to the scheme of interaction of MEU analysis with valuation approaches through the elimination of wear and the connection of the latter with the concepts of reconstruction, modernization and repair of the object of assessment. The performance (characteristics) of buildings and structures, which are the main objects of functional wear, are considered. The place of functional wear in the structure of the accumulated wear of the objects of evaluation is shown. Ways of simplification of calculation, the situations in which it is recommended to take into account wear are considered.