bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Morphological and Molecular Characterisation of Endophytic Fungi Isolated from Moringa oleifera Leaves in Iraq and Chemical Analysis of Leaves Extracts Using GC-Mass
Authors: Mohammed Gufran Mahmood , Hawar Sumaiya Naeema
Published: February 2024

Endophytic fungi are found inside plants, with no disease appearance; in contrast, they improve the growth of plants spatially in limited habitats. This study aimed to isolate and characterize, morphologically and genetically endophytic fungi gathered from Moringa oleifera leaves, as well as detect the chemical components in the leaves using GC-Mass spectrometry. the results obtained that 59 endophytic fungi isolates were detected, with a total colonisation rate of 84.26%. These fungi belong to 8 types, where Aspergillus was a predominated genus with 5 species. Besides, A. flavus was prevalent with a colonisation rate of 27.14, and A. niger with a rate of 15.71; Byssochlays spectabilis with a rate of 28%. Moreover, the result of chemical components analysis in leaves using GC-mass showed the presence of active 30 compounds. including oleic acid, phytol, octadecenoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester and phenol.
Relationship Between Winds with Surface Roughness and Carbon Dioxide Concentrations Over Iraq
Authors: Nassif Wedyan G. , Hashim Ahmed A. , Muter Sara Ali , Al-Taai Osama T.
Published: February 2024

The methodology used in the study is based on hourly and monthly rates (wind speed and direction, CO2, and surface roughness) obtained from the European Center for Numerical Weather Prediction at 30 sites in Iraq in 2020. The results showed that the maximum wind speed was 4 m/s at 12:00 noon, while the prevailing wind direction for all sites in Iraq was towards the northwest (NW) and the minimum wind speed was 2 m/s at 00:00 AM. By analysing the monthly wind speed and direction for some selected stations, it was found that the highest value of (SW), i.e., 64% was recorded at Rutba station, and the lowest value of (SW) at Basra station was 45%, where the prevailing direction was found to be towards the north-northwest (NNW). The spatial analysis concluded that the wind movement is directed from the north and northwest, explaining that the wind reverses its direction from the mountainous heights to flat lands due to the roughness of the surface in the northern regions above the stations of Iraq. Spearman’s test was carried out between wind speed and surface roughness, and between carbon dioxide and surface roughness. It was found that the correlation strength is weak, and the relationship is inverse between surface roughness and wind speed. This analysis is considered the best way to choose the best wind power plants.
The Point-to-Set Principle and the dimensions of Hamel bases
Authors: Lutz Jack H. , Qi Renrui , Yu Liang
Published: February 2024

We prove that, for every [Formula: see text], there is a Hamel basis of the vector space of reals over the field of rationals that has Hausdorff dimension s.

The logic of our proof is of particular interest. The statement of our theorem is classical; it does not involve the theory of computing. However, our proof makes essential use of algorithmic fractal dimension–a computability-theoretic construct–and the point-to-set principle of J. Lutz and N. Lutz (2018).
Prognostic Information on Progression to Dementia: Quantification of the Impact on Quality of Life
Authors: Vermeulen Robin Jeanna , Roudijk Bram , Govers Tim Martin , Rovers Maroeska Mariet , Olde Rikkert Marcel Gerardus Maria , Wijnen Ben Franciscus Martinus
Published: February 2024

Background:

The increasing interest in early identification of people at risk of developing dementia, has led to the development of numerous models aimed at estimating the likelihood of progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia. It is important to study both the need for and possible outcomes related with such prediction models, including the impact of risk predictions on perceived quality of life (QoL).

Objective:

This study aimed to quantify the impact that receiving a risk prediction on progression from MCI to dementia has on QoL.

Methods:

A Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) and Time Trade Off (TTO) study were performed. Participants completed choice tasks related to dementia prognosis while imagining having MCI. We collected DCE data by an online survey, and TTO data via videoconferencing interviews. DCE data were analyzed using a mixed multinomial logit model and were anchored to a health state utility scale using mean observed TTO valuations.

Results:

296 people participated in the DCE and 42 in the TTO. Moderate and high predicted dementia risks were associated with decrements in utility (–0.05 and –0.18 respectively), compared to no prognostic information. Low predicted risk was associated with an increase in utility (0.06), as well as the availability of medication or lifestyle interventions (0.05 and 0.13 respectively).

Conclusions:

This study shows a significant impact of dementia risk predictions on QoL and highlights the importance of caution when sharing information about expected MCI disease courses.
Prioritization and exchange chains in privacy-preserving kidney exchange
Authors: Breuer Malte , Hein Pascal , Pompe Leonardo , Meyer Urike , Wetzel Susanne
Published: February 2024

The Kidney Exchange Problem (KEP) aims at finding an optimal set of exchanges among pairs of patients and their medically incompatible living kidney donors as well as altruistic donors who are not associated with any particular patient but want to donate a kidney to any person in need. Existing platforms that offer the finding of such exchanges for patient-donor pairs and altruistic donors are organized in a centralized fashion and operated by a single platform operator. This makes them susceptible to manipulation and corruption. Recent research has targeted these security issues by proposing decentralized Secure Multi-Party Computation (SMPC) protocols for solving the KEP. However, these protocols fail to meet two important requirements for kidney exchange in practice. First, they do not allow for altruistic donors. While such donors are not legally allowed in all countries, they have been shown to have a positive effect on the number of transplants that can be found. Second, the existing SMPC protocols do not support prioritization, which is used in existing platforms to give priority to certain exchanges or patient-donor pairs, e.g., to patients who are hard to match due to their medical characteristics. In this paper, we introduce a generic gate for implementing prioritization in kidney exchange. We extend two existing SMPC protocols for solving the KEP such that they allow for altruistic donors and prioritization and present one novel SMPC protocol for solving the KEP with altruistic donors and prioritization based on dynamic programming. We prove the security of all protocols and analyze their complexity. We implement all protocols and evaluate their performance for the setting where altruistic donors are legally allowed and for the setting where they are not. Thereby, we determine the performance impact of the inclusion of altruistic donors and obtain those approaches that perform best for each setting.
Fireworks algorithm with elitism-based selection strategy and optimal particle guidance mechanism
Authors: Xing Cheng , Wang Jie-Sheng , Liu Yu
Published: February 2024

With the increasing complexity and difficulty of numerical optimization problems in the real world, many efficient meta-heuristic optimization methods have been proposed to solve these problems. An improved Fireworks Algorithm (FWA) with elitism-based selection and optimal particle guidance strategies (EO-FWA) was proposed to address the limitations of the traditional FWA in terms of optimization accuracy and convergence speed, which not only improves the efficiency of the searching agent but also accelerates its convergence speed. In addition, by adopting boundary-based mapping rules, EO-FWA eliminates the randomness of traditional modulo operation mapping rules, which improves its stability and reliability. Twelve benchmark functions in CEC-BC-2022 are used to test the performance of EO-FWA, and the welded beam design problem is optimized at the end. The results show that EO-FWA exhibits stronger competitiveness than other algorithms in dealing with high-dimensional optimization problems and engineering optimization problem, and it can balance exploitation and exploration effectively so as to prevent the algorithm from falling into local optimal solutions.
Improved ant colony optimization algorithms for multi-objective investment decision model based on intelligent fuzzy clustering algorithm
Authors: Wang Caichuan , Li Jiajun
Published: February 2024

With the continuous changes and development of financial markets, it has brought many difficulties to investment decision-making. For the multi-objective investment decision-making problem, the improved Ant colony optimization algorithms was used to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the multi-objective investment decision-making. Therefore, based on intelligent Fuzzy clustering algorithm and Ant colony optimization algorithms, this paper studied a new multi-objective investment decision model, and proved the advantages of this method through comparative analysis of experiments. The experimental results showed that the improved Ant colony optimization algorithms has significantly reduced the system’s construction costs, operating costs and financial costs, all of which were controlled below 41%. Compared with the traditional Ant colony optimization algorithms, this method had lower values in policy risk, technical risk and market risk, and can effectively control risks. Meanwhile, the environmental, economic, and social benefits of this method were all above 58%, and the average absolute return rate and success rate in this experiment were 21.5450% and 69.4083%, respectively. Therefore, from the above point of view, the multi-objective investment decision model based on intelligent Fuzzy clustering algorithm and the improved Ant colony optimization algorithms can effectively help decision-makers to find the best investment decision-making scheme, and can improve the accuracy and stability of decision-making. This research can provide reference significance for other matters in the field of investment decision-making.
LogCSS: Log anomaly detection based on BERT-CNN with context-semantics-statistics features
Authors: Li Zhongliang , Tu Xuezhen , Gao Hong , Huang Shiyue , Ma Zongmin
Published: February 2024

With the development of artificial intelligence, deep-learning-based log anomaly detection proves to be an important research topic. In this paper, we propose LogCSS, a novel log anomaly detection framework based on the Context-Semantics-Statistics Convolutional Neural Network (CSSCNN). It is the first model that uses BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representation from Transformers) and CNN (Convolutional Neural Network) to extract the semantic, temporal, and correlational features of the logs. We combine the features with the statistic information of log templates for the classification model to improve the accuracy. We also propose a technique, DOOT (Deals with the Out-Of-Templates), for online template matching. The experimental research shows that our framework improves the average F1 score of the six best algorithms in the industry by more than 5% on the open-source dataset HDFS, and improves the average F1 score of the six best algorithms in the industry by more than 8% on the BGL dataset, LogCSS also performs better than other similar methods on our own constructed dataset.
Dynamic evaluation of road and bridge engineering construction safety risk based on Fuzzy Dynamic Bayesian Network research
Authors: Wang Yuansen , Lv Guibin , He Jialin , Cheng Feng , Li Dongke
Published: February 2024

To comprehensively and objectively evaluate the actual safety condition in road and bridge engineering construction, the road and bridge engineering construction safety risk evaluation index system is constructed combined with the factors induced by emergencies in the road and bridge engineering construction process. Aiming at the dynamic uncertainty of road and bridge construction safety risk, using Fuzzy Set Theory and an improved similar aggregation method to determine the prior probabilities and conditional probabilities of network nodes, and then selecting the transition probabilities of nodes through expert opinions and incident reports, leading to the development of a dynamic evaluation model for safety risks in road and bridge engineering construction based on Fuzzy Dynamic Bayesian Network, this model can make the construction safety risk prediction result accurately. Taking the Hebi City Provincial Highway 304 reconstruction project as an example for analysis, the results indicate that the model can accurately predict the probability of changes in safety risks in road and bridge engineering construction. Additionally, it can identify critical risk factors and provide crucial supporting information for decision-makers to optimize risk management strategies.
Efficient knowledge model for whale optimization algorithm to solve large-scale problems
Authors: Xu Zhedong , Su Yongbo , Guo Fei
Published: February 2024

In the process of digital transformation and development in various industries, there are more and more large-scale optimization problems. Currently, swarm intelligence optimization algorithms are the best method to solve such problems. However, previous experimental research has found that there is still room for improvement in the performance of using existing swarm intelligence optimization algorithms to solve such problems. To obtain the high-precision optimal value of whale optimization algorithm (WOA) for solving large-scale optimization problems, the optimization problem knowledge model is studied to guide the iterative process of WOA algorithm, and a novel whale optimization algorithm based on knowledge model guidance (KMGWOA) is proposed. First, a population update strategy based on multiple elite individuals is proposed to reduce the impact of the local optimal values, and the knowledge model to guide population update is constructed by combining the proposed population update strategy with the population update strategy based on global optimal individual. Second, a collaborative reverse learning knowledge model with multiple elite and poor individuals in the solution space is proposed to prevent long-term non-ideal region search. The above two knowledge models guide the iterative process of WOA algorithm in solving large-scale optimization problems. The performance of the KMGWOA algorithm guided by the proposed knowledge models is tested through the well-known classical test functions. The results demonstrate that the proposed KMGWOA algorithm not only has good search ability for the theoretical optimal value, but also achieves higher accuracy in obtaining the optimal value when it is difficult to obtain the theoretical optimal value. Moreover, KMGWOA algorithm has fast convergence speed and high effective iteration percentage.
Cost-Effectiveness Analyses of Non-Pharmacological and Non-Surgical Interventions in Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hartmann-Nardin Daniel , Stock Stephanie , Kalbe Elke , Folkerts Ann-Kristin
Published: February 2024

Background:

Interest in non-pharmacological/non-surgical interventions to treat Parkinson’s disease (PD) has substantially increased. Although a few health-economic studies have been conducted, summary information on the cost-effectiveness is still scarce.

Objective:

To give an overview of cost-effectiveness analyses (CEA) focusing on non-pharmacological/non-surgical interventions in PD patients.

Methods:

A systematic literature search was conducted in five databases. Studies were included that provided cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) or cost-utility analysis (CUA) of non-pharmacological/non-surgical interventions in PD patients. Study quality was assessed with the Drummond and CHEERS 2022 checklists, respectively for economic evaluation.

Results:

N = 9 studies published between 2012–2023 were identified. Most studies undertook a CUA ( n = 5); n = 3 reported a combination of CEA and CUA, and n = 1 a pure CEA. Most studies ( n = 6) examined physical exercise. The CEA studies identified additional costs of 170€ –660€  for the improvement of one single unit of a clinical outcome and savings of 18.40€ –22.80€  per score gained as measured with established instruments. The four studies that found significant quality of life benefits show large variations in the incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER) of 3,220€ –214,226€  per quality-adjusted life year (QALY); notably interventions were heterogenous regarding content and intensity.

Conclusions:

Despite increasing numbers of non-pharmacological/non-surgical intervention trials in PD patients, health-economic evaluations are rare. The examined intervention types and health-economic results vary greatly. Together with the heterogeneity of the health-economic studies these factors limit the conclusions that can be drawn. Further research and a standardization of methods is needed to allow decision makers to make meaningful interpretations, and to allocate scarce resources.
Striatal Serotonin 4 Receptor is Increased in Experimental Parkinsonism and Dyskinesia
Authors: Cirillo Rossella , Duperrier Sandra , Parekh Pathik , Millot Mathilde , Li Qin , Thiolat Marie-Laure , Morelli Micaela , Xie Jing , Le Bars Didier , Redouté Jérôme , Bezard Erwan , Sgambato Véronique
Published: February 2024

Alterations of serotonin type 4 receptor levels are linked to mood disorders and cognitive deficits in several conditions. However, few studies have investigated 5-HT4R alterations in movement disorders. We wondered whether striatal 5-HT4R expression is altered in experimental parkinsonism. We used a brain bank tissue from a rat and a macaque model of Parkinson’s disease (PD). We then investigated its in vivo PET imaging regulation in a cohort of macaques. Dopaminergic depletion increases striatal 5-HT4R in the two models, further augmented after dyskinesia-inducing L-Dopa. Pending confirmation in PD patients, the 5-HT4R might offer a therapeutic target for dampening PD’s symptoms.
Imaging Biomarkers in Prodromal and Earliest Phases of Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Theis Hendrik , Pavese Nicola , Rektorová Irena , van Eimeren Thilo
Published: February 2024

Assessing imaging biomarker in the prodromal and early phases of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is of great importance to ensure an early and safe diagnosis. In the last decades, imaging modalities advanced and are now able to assess many different aspects of neurodegeneration in PD. MRI sequences can measure iron content or neuromelanin. Apart from SPECT imaging with Ioflupane, more specific PET tracers to assess degeneration of the dopaminergic system are available. Furthermore, metabolic PET patterns can be used to anticipate a phenoconversion from prodromal PD to manifest PD. In this regard, it is worth mentioning that PET imaging of inflammation will gain significance. Molecular imaging of neurotransmitters like serotonin, noradrenaline and acetylcholine shed more light on non-motor symptoms. Outside of the brain, molecular imaging of the heart and gut is used to measure PD-related degeneration of the autonomous nervous system. Moreover, optical coherence tomography can noninvasively detect degeneration of retinal fibers as a potential biomarker in PD. In this review, we describe these state-of-the-art imaging modalities in early and prodromal PD and point out in how far these techniques can and will be used in the future to pave the way towards a biomarker-based staging of PD.
Microwave assisted solvent free one pot synthesis of acenaphtho [1,2-d] imidazole derivatives using NH4+ OAc– / NH4+Cl–
Authors: Mohammadi Mohammad Kazem
Published: February 2024

A novel, highly efficient, eco-friendly, and quick microwave-assisted synthesis of 2, 4, 5- substituted imidazoles by one-pot cyclo condensation of acenaphthoquinone, aromatic aldehydes, and ammonium acetate was reported under solvent-free conditions using ammonium chloride as a catalyst with excellent yield. The present methodology offers several advantages, such as mild reaction conditions, easy workup, short reaction time, excellent yield, purification of products by the non-chromatographic method, and reproducibility in large-scale synthesis. Compounds were characterized by IR, 1HNMR, 13C NMR spectroscopy and their melting points were compared with the literature reports.
Impact of social desirability bias on the CoPsoQ-ISTAS 21 psychosocial risk assessment questionnaire
Authors: Louzán Rita , Villarroya López Alberto
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND: Self-reported test is one of the main psychosocial risk assessment tools. However, this test it is susceptible to certain sources of error, including social desirability. Since psychosocial risks are emerging, there are not many studies on their assessment. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work is to analyze the impact of social desirability on the short version of the CopSoq-ISTAS 21 assessment tool. METHOD: A total of 563 workers (45.10% women and 54.90% men) participated in this study. The short version of the CoPsoQ-Istas21 questionnaire with four Likert scale questions as markers, which correspond to the Eysenck Personality Lie Scale Questionnaire Revised (EPQ-r), were used. The sample was divided into two halves, and both a confirmatory analysis and an exploratory analysis were carried out to find out the factorial structure of the scale and, with it, apply the bias filtering method. RESULTS: The results indicate that 10% of the scale is biased due to social desirability, and that there are significant differences between the group with bias clean scores and the group with scores without bias control. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of social desirability on the scale are verified, so it is concluded that in a psychosocial risk assessment is not enough to apply a self-report test and interpret its results, being necessary to minimize the sources of error.
A profile of occupational tasks performed by mounted police officers
Authors: Canetti Elisa F.D. , Gersbach-Seib Ashlee , Moore Ryan , Schram Ben , Orr Robin
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND: Within individual policing organisations, there are a wide variety of units and job roles. OBJECTIVE: To profile the occupational tasks performed by Australian mounted police officers, aiming to offer conditioning insight into this unique job role. METHODS: Thirteen fully qualified and operational mounted police officers (n = 11 females), who served in the mounted police unit for ∼3.3 (±2.3) years, participated in this observational cohort study. Participants completed a survey outlining common occupational tasks and were monitored throughout four consecutive shifts. Participants’ heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and skin temperature (ST) data were collected via wearable monitoring (Equivital EQ-02, Hidalgo, UK) and body position, physical activity undertaken, task effort, and load carriage were recorded by researchers. A one-way ANOVA was used to assess mean differences in physiological measures between the three most reported tasks. RESULTS: Survey identified 130 tasks, with 38 listed as most common. The three most reported mounted police tasks were: ‘horse riding’ (n = 13, 34%), ‘mounted patrols’ (n = 10, 26%), and ‘horse care’ (n = 10, 26%). These were also reported as the most physically demanding. HR during ‘horse care’ and ‘horse riding’ were significantly higher than when ‘mounted patrolling’ (27±7bpm, p = 0.001 and 33±8bpm; p = 0.001, respectively). Mean RR was higher when ‘horse riding’ when compared to ‘horse care’ (5.3±1.6brpm) and ‘mounted patrol’ (8.5±1.9brpm). CONCLUSION: Mounted police officers experience unique physiological challenges throughout their routine occupational tasks. This study highlights the significance of understanding occupation-specific tasks and stressors undertaken by mounted police to develop relevant conditioning, rehabilitation, and monitoring procedures.
NEW RECORD OF THE BLUNTNOSE SIXGILL SHARK, Hexanchus griseus (CHONDRICHTHYES, HEXANCHIDAE) IN THE SOUTH WEST ATLANTIC OCEAN
Authors: M. Cuevas Juan , Gómez Sebastián , Palacio Cecilia , L. García Mirta
Published: February 2024

A new record of Hexanchus griseus is reported for the coast of Argentina in Patagonia (45° 36´32.73´´S - 67° 16´ 33.68 W) at a depth of 19 m and with water temperature at 15.4°C. The specimen was a female captured, tagged and released inside a Marine Protected Area by local recreational fishermen as part of a national citizen science project. The specimen was a juvenile of 284.1 cm total length and it also constitutes the first tagged individual in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean for this species.
Keywords: Hexanchus griseus, sixgill shark, Argentina, recreational fishery, citizen science, tagging, juvenile.
ELASMOBRANCH RESEARCH IN PARANÁ STATE: A FOUR-DECADE REVIEW
Authors: Wosnick Natascha , Pinheiro Giareta Eloísa , Daldin Leite Renata , Prado Aline Cristina , Charvet Patricia
Published: February 2024

Abstract
The present study diagnosed the state of the art of elasmobranch research in the State of Paraná, Southern Brazil. Through a systematic literature review, 220 studies with elasmobranchs in the State were retrieved. Studies began in the 1980s, reaching a peak between 2010 and 2019. When the publication categories were considered separately, a predominance of peer-reviewed papers was noted. However, when grouping grey literature categories, this type of document was predominant, indicating that many of the investigations carried out were neither peer-reviewed, nor published in indexed databases. The most representative research areas were fisheries (18%) and feeding (13%). A total of 75 species belonging to 40 genera were investigated, with most studies focused on Carcharhinus spp. (n = 60), Sphyrna spp. (n = 40), Pseudobatos spp. (n = 35), and Zapteryxbrevirostris (n = 29). Some research trends in Paraná were like those identified for both South American and global scenarios, namely feeding ecology and fisheries. Nevertheless, some research areas that are key to be considered for adequate elasmobranch management and conservation measures were systematically neglected or remained underdeveloped in the State. Furthermore, for most species (e.g., Galeocerdo cuvier, Rhizoprionodon spp., Squatina spp., Narcine brasiliensis, Hypanus guttatus), information on basic biology and ecology are still lacking, indicating the need for future studies focusing on generating data for this important global elasmobranch conservation hotspot.
Keywords: rays, sharks, studies, priorities, Southern Brazil.
SEX RATIO AND SIZE STRUCTURE OF Carcharhinus longimanus, Galeocerdo cuvier AND, Alopias superciliosus INCIDENTALLY CAUGHT IN A LONGLINE FISHERY FROM THE CENTRAL MEXICAN PACIFIC
Authors: Márquez-Farías Juan Fernando , Carrillo-Colín Luis Daniel , Santana-Hernández Heriberto , Vélez-Marín Rafael
Published: February 2024

Knowledge of life history and fish reproduction is essential to understand the population dynamics of exploited shark populations. We provide information regarding the length, weight, and sex ratio of Carcharhinus longimanus (oceanic whitetip shark), Galeocerdo cuvier (tiger sharks), and Alopias superciliosus (bigeye thresher sharks) from longline boats based on Manzanillo (39–45 m longline vessels), Colima, Mexico, from 1986 to 2001. We analyzed a total of 264 oceanic whitetip sharks with 107 females (86-186 cm FL) and 157 males (68-184 cm FL); 67 tiger sharks with 36 females (105-193 cm FL) and 31 males (103-207 cm FL) and 67 bigeye thresher sharks with 22 females (131-209 cm FL) and 45 males (138-204 cm FL). The sex ratio for the whole sample differed significantly from the expected 1:1 in the oceanic whitetip shark and bigeye thresher shark, probably due to the mobility nature of the species. The length-frequency distribution of the bigeye thresher shark revealed a high frequency of individuals of large size in the catches. This shark is, on average, larger and heavier than the oceanic whitetip shark and the tiger shark. Factors affecting the catch susceptibility of this particular group of species and their lengths (or ages) are discussed.
Keywords: Length-frequency, life history, Mexican Pacific, pelagic sharks
“Correlation does not Imply Causation”, while Psychotropic Drugs do cause Neurochemical Imbalances and Dysfunction of Neurotransmission
Authors: Morris Preethi
Published: February 2024

Mental health professionals often prescribe psychotropic drug to patients diagnosed with mental health illnesses under the premise that neurochemical imbalance is a cause of mental health disorders. In this paper we discuss reasons to believe that there is no scientific research which provides evidence that neurochemical imbalances or problems with neurotransmission in the brain are causative factors in the etiology of mental health illnesses. Behavioral and neurochemical research studies in animals show an ASSOCIATION between mental health states and alteration of neurotransmitter signaling. However, correlation does not imply causation. To the contrary, stress paradigms in rodents show a diminishing of the activity of the mesolimbic dopaminergic reward pathway _as a result of_ long-term stressful stimuli. Furthermore, studies in human cases of mental health disorders show that psychotropic drugs cause disturbances in neurotransmission or neurochemical homeostasis as seen in biochemical research studies, and this is manifest by the behavioral consequences experienced during withdrawal in humans and animals.

SIGNIFICANCE: This paper presents reasons to question the safety and efficacy of the common use of psychotropic drugs in the mental health industry.
Health Physics Aspects Associated with Magnetic Confinement Fusion Power Facilities
Authors: Bevelacqua Joseph
Published: February 2024

Bevelacqua Resources, 7531 Flint Crossing Circle SE, Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763 USA bevelresou@aol.com  

     Health physics aspects associated with magnetic confinement fusion are addressed. These aspects are investigated within the context of the operation of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor currently called ITER. ITER has health physics elements in common with existing fission facilities as well as unique fusion related features. Fusion facility neutron radiation is similar to that encountered in a low energy accelerator. The tritium hazard has radiation protection issues in common with the Canadian Deuterium reactor. Completion of the final ITER design, its performance characteristics, component lifetimes, and maintenance requirements will determine the actual health physics hazards. Numerous open issues are required to complete the design of ITER and resolution of these issues will affect the design as well as the health physics implications for occupationally exposed workers.

Key Words: Fusion Power Facility, ITER, Magnetic Confinement, Radiological Characteristics
Targeting the Warburg Effect with the Glucose Mutation Theory: A Case Study of a 35-Year-Old Female Treated for Stage II Triple-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer Involving Lymph Nodes Using Glucosodiene Over a 20-Day Period.
Authors: Ahmed Amr , Akl Maher M.
Published: February 2024

Triple-positive breast cancer, characterized by the overexpression of estrogen receptors (ER+), progesterone receptors (PR+), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2+), poses a formidable challenge in oncology. This subtype, known for its aggressive nature and metastatic potential, requires a comprehensive therapeutic strategy. Current approaches, predominantly involving targeted therapies, face challenges, necessitating the exploration of alternative interventions. The emergence of Glucosodiene, rooted in Maher Akl's theory on glucose mutation, introduces a promising avenue for treatment. This innovative drug demonstrates efficacy in targeting the Warburg effect prevalent in tumors dependent on anaerobic glucose metabolism. A case study involving a 35-year-old woman with stage II triple-positive breast cancer showcases Glucosodiene's impact, revealing a complete absence of active lesions post-treatment. The results indicate its potential as a primary or secondary therapy, complementing traditional treatment protocols. Glucosodiene's mechanism of action positions it as a versatile and impactful option in the realm of cancer therapeutics, offering hope in the pursuit of improved patient outcomes. THE TRIAL IS REGISTERED UNDER CLINICALTRIALS.GOV NUMBER NCT05957939.
A different approach for engineering education in line with modern scientific developments
Authors:   Balikesir University, Okuyan Cemal , Chupryna Nataliia ,   Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology
Published: February 2024

This study examines what needs to be done to restructure engineering education to meet today’s challenges. The need to modernize training in high-tech specialties due to the rapid development of science and technology is substantiated; a short period of time between innovation and its commercialization; short life cycle of high-tech goods; constant change in consumer needs. The needs of consumers change due to the influence of science and technology, changes in the external and internal environment, as well as changes in the psychosomatic state of the person himself. All these factors add fundamentally new requirements to the construction of the curriculum and breakdown by the special workload of students throughout the entire period of study. Modern universities should provide not only higher education, but also lay the foundation for the possibility of improving the qualifications of employees throughout their professional life. Also, additional courses should be formed that will help the university graduate to adapt to new conditions, if it is necessary to change the received qualification in a certain field. “Mechanical Engineering Education” in Turkey was chosen as an example. The importance of specialized mechanical engineering, developments in our public and private universities that create specialized engineering fields, survey results and criticisms on this were assessed, and a model proposal was created for the transition to specialized mechanical engineering in the short and long term. There is no longer any doubt about the need for distance education, which has become compulsory with the onset of the global pandemic. This is, first of all, an opportunity for students to independently choose the time and pace of study that is acceptable for them. Secondly, to choose an educational institution, in any corner of the world, thereby gaining knowledge of various scientific disciplines, which is quite effective from a practical point of view. This study also explains the distance education model in which professional universities will provide their members with the transfer of rapidly evolving academic industry knowledge.
Problems and trends in the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in Ukraine
Authors:   National University “Zaporizhzhia polytechnic”, Tkachenko A. M. , Khanenko A. V. ,   Novovolynsk Education and Research Institute of Economics and Management
Published: February 2024

The article deals with entrepreneurship as one of the main spheres of the national economy and an important component of its competitiveness. The role of domestic entrepreneurship in the structural reorganization of the economy is determined. It is determined in the irreversibility of Ukraine’s entry into the European economic system. The article analyzes the opinions of financial experts on the unpreparedness of Western banks and companies to lend to Ukrainian businesses in the context of the ongoing economic crisis and military operations. The article considers and suggests that small and medium-sized business owners use modern sources of financing for their business projects, such as franchising and crowdfunding. The author defines the essence and real content of domestic entrepreneurship and its compliance with modern civilization standards. Entrepreneurship is considered in terms of its participation in the formation of political and economic relations in the country, in the search for effective legal mechanisms to ensure the comprehensive development of small and medium-sized businesses. The author establishes the connection between entrepreneurship and the increase in the number of owners of resources and means of production. This gave impetus to the corresponding formation of the middle class in society, which is the key to political and economic stability in any democratic country. Social and societal processes and their impact on the formation of small and medium-sized businesses are outlined. The influence of business on these processes is considered from the point of view of business as a social phenomenon. Amendments and additions to some laws regulating the activities of small and medium-sized enterprises are reviewed. The main directions of development of entrepreneurship in Ukraine at the present stage are determined. It is determined that the development of domestic small and medium-sized businesses is in line with global trends in the formation of a flexible market economy and a combination of both different forms of ownership and different business models.
Prospects for the development of the innovative ecosystem of Ukraine in the post-war period
Authors:   National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”, Shevchuk Olena , Kish Robert ,   National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”, Fedorchenko Illia ,   National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”
Published: February 2024

After deep historical upheavals, Ukraine is on the threshold of a turning point in its post-war development, which requires a comprehensive study of the prospects and challenges that shape its innovation ecosystem. As part of the article, the authors researched strategies for accelerating the development of “green” technologies in Ukraine, which include renewable energy, hydrogen technologies, waste management, and environmentally friendly materials. The mechanisms that will contribute to the emergence and increase of the number of innovative startups dedicated to environmentally sustainable solutions that will contribute to the formation of the innovation ecosystem in Ukraine have been determined. The needs for strengthening the research infrastructure and strategies for attracting investments, which will contribute to the growth of green technologies, are analyzed. Potential ways of Ukraine’s participation in joint projects with international organizations and countries, which will accelerate the integration of green technologies into the post-war innovative ecosystem of Ukraine, are considered. Within the framework of this work, the key role of innovations in solving urgent issues of post-war recovery, reconstruction and sustainable development is emphasized. The aftermath of hostilities underscores the urgent need for recovery and diversification, with innovation at the heart of these transformative efforts. Green technologies, innovative startups and STEM-oriented educational paradigms are becoming key in Ukraine’s transition to sustainable development. In addition, international cooperation is recognized as a powerful catalyst for accelerating the innovative development of Ukraine. Active interaction with global partners promotes knowledge exchange, investment mobilization and implementation of best international practices, which accelerates progress in the development of innovations. As such, this scholarly analysis provides a compelling call to action, emphasizing the need for continued reform, improved education, and strengthened infrastructure. Ukraine, being at a turning point, has the latent potential to harness innovation as a dynamic force for economic revival, resilience and long-term stability in the post-war environment.
Management of logistics transformation of the educational process
Authors:   Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kanishchenko Olena , Chupryna Nataliia ,   Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology, Kuznietsova Nataliia ,   Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Volodymyrov Vasyl ,   Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology, Chernysheva Olena ,   Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology, Zhuravel Vira ,   Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology
Published: February 2024

The article examines the peculiarities of logistics systems in modern military conditions. An analysis of the structure of the concept of “logistics systems” by many authors was made. This analysis includes the selection of: the essence of the phenomenon, the content of the phenomenon and its result. A classification of existing approaches to defining the concept of “logistics systems” has been carried out. Conducted critical evaluation of different approaches to the concept of “logistics systems” on a five-point scale, which made it possible to identify the definition with the highest rating. The results of the conducted research made it possible to determine that the logistics system is a system that has variable and constant elements in its composition, which changes over time under the influence of management decisions, which are based on the analysis of the internal and external environment in order to increase the efficiency and profitability of the enterprise. Restoration of the educational process in schools and educational institutions of various levels during the period of Russian military operations on the territory of Ukraine is one of the priority areas. Many students and teachers are outside Ukraine, but they should not lose contact with their educational institutions and the opportunity to study/work. However, the main condition for the restoration/continuation of the educational process is the safety of all its participants. There are a number of educational institutions in Ukraine that were moved from the temporarily occupied territory to other regions of Ukraine. The article provides a list of relocated higher education institutions as of October 2023. As a result of the conducted research, the components of the logistic transformation of the educational process were formed in the article, which will make it possible to optimize the logistic systems of the educational process, identify "bottlenecks" and eliminate them in a timely manner. As of October 2023, 31 higher education institutions were relocated on the territory of Ukraine.
Development of a metric for assessing the competitiveness of Ukraine according to the progress of the digital transformation of the economy
Authors:   National University Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic, Levchenko N. M.
Published: February 2024

Ukraine’s prioritization of entry into the European digital market as a foreign policy direction highlights the urgency of incorporating the global digital economy and society index (DESI) into the national statistical monitoring system. The article asserts that DESI introduction is a pressing issue. It was emphasized that although Ukraine has declared its integration into the EU's single digital market, the country is not currently participating in any international rating to assess the competitiveness of its digitalization progress. This is due to the absence of any strategic or conceptual documents that support the use of indices of the country's digital evolution. By not implementing new and improved tools for measuring digitalization as a factor of economic growth, Ukraine is severely limited in reflecting the use and impact of digital technologies, such as AI, data analytics, IoT, 3D print, automation and robots, Cloud, 5G mobile broadband, and blockchain, on the aggregate value added of different economic sectors. Currently, only the metric for determining the Digital Transformation Index of Ukraine's regions has been approved in Ukraine at the official level. However, this metric does not meet the requirements of Eurostat and therefore cannot be utilized for international comparison. It is imperative that the global Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) metric is implemented in Ukraine's domestic practice. The constituent elements of DESI, which include connectivity, human capital, use of internet services, integration of digital technology, and digital public services, must be taken into consideration. Accordingly, an assessment was conducted to determine Ukraine's readiness for the implementation of DESI. It is justified that Ukraine's participation in the formation and presentation of information about the DESI index will allow not only to have an objective assessment of the country's place in global trends, but also to have extremely important information for international investors regarding Ukraine's confirmation of commitment to the principles of openness and transparency assumed by international obligations to enter the single digital market by harmonizing its statistical system with EU standards and practices.
Debt crisis in the electricity market: causes and threats to the economic security of electricity companies
Authors:   Department of Internal Affairs and Communications of the Zaporizhzhya Region, Levchenko S. A.
Published: February 2024

The article states that one of the main sector conditions for Ukraine's accession to the European Union is the launch of a full-fledged energy market, for which purpose a number of institutional, economic and regulatory reforms have been implemented since 2015. It is proved that despite the government’s conscientious efforts to make a transition to the European model of energy markets, Ukraine has failed to do so due to a large number of regulatory restrictions on wholesale prices (price caps), an unbalanced policy of supporting renewable energy industry, the absence of market prices for households and the existing mechanisms for imposing special obligations, which together have led to the formation of a chain of debts “all to all” in the electricity market. It is substantiated that the debt crisis currently observed in the energy sector of Ukraine requires urgent measures. Further ignoring it is unacceptable, as it poses significant threats to both the country’s energy security and the financial viability of electricity companies. The article considers the chain of debts of electric power enterprises formed through the Public Service Obligations (PSO) model. The causes of the debt crisis in the Ukrainian electricity market are identified, including: incorrect operation of the PSO mechanism; significant underfunding of tariffs for households, as well as tariffs for electricity transmission services via the high-voltage trunk network and power system management (dispatching); granting debtors a preference - depriving them of "punishment" for late payment of the cost of consumed services. The author analyses the proposed measures to mitigate the crisis by: compensation of debts at the expense of the State budget; attraction of loans from State and international banks; cancellation of price restrictions established by the National Commission for State Regulation of Energy and Public Utilities (NCSREPU), the so-called price caps; allocation of part of the excise tax revenues to repay the debts incurred in the electricity market; increasing the volume of clean electricity exports to the EU; introduction of a market for guarantees of origin, under which each renewable energy producer will receive guarantees, i.e. an asset that can be sold. The advantages and disadvantages of each of the proposed measures are indicated.