Optimization of the operation of Dokan hydropower development using Cuckoo Search Algorithm

In this paper one of the recently developed metaheuristic algorithms, the Cuckoo Search algorithm is used for the optimization of the operation of a large hydropower plant in Kurdistan, Iraq. The optimization problem is to realize an annual planned energy generation with monthly imposed fractions. The obtained results are excellent, nevertheless, there are some limitations of the algorithm determined by the initial level into the reservoir and a certain correlation between the type of the year, the starting level and the planned energy to be realized.

Development of students’ professional readiness to provide emergency psychological assistance

В статье рассматриваются проблемы и опыт исследования профессиональной готовности студентов к оказанию экстренной психологической помощи. Анализ публикаций позволил авторам рассмотреть теоретические представления о готовности к профессиональной деятельности с позиций компетентностного подхода к подготовке в вузе психолого-педагогических кадров в контексте приобщения студентов к освоению особенностей оказания экстренной психологической помощи. Авторами приведены данные эмпирического исследования уровня профессиональной готовности студентов к оказанию экстренной психологической помощи и обоснована возможность его существенного совершенствования на основе специально разработанной модели. Доказано, что реализация модели позволяет встроить в образовательный процесс специально созданные модули, обеспечивающие освоение действий, необходимых в процессе оказания пострадавшим экстренной психологической помощи, которые способствуют развитию профессиональной готовности будущего педагога-психолога к его осуществлению. Представленные сведения подтверждают положительную динамику исходного уровня, исследуемого свойства студентов и значимости достигнутых изменений. The article discusses the problems and experience of studying professional readiness of students to provide emergency psychological assistance. The analysis of publications allowed the authors to consider theoretical ideas about readiness for professional activity from the standpoint of a competence-based approach to training of psycho-pedagogical personnel at the university in the context of introducing students to the development of the features of emergency psychological assistance. The authors present the data of an empirical study of the level of professional readiness of students to provide emergency psychological assistance and substantiate the possibility of its significant improvement on the basis of a specially developed model. It is proved that the implementation of the model makes it possible to integrate into the educational process specially created modules that ensure the development of actions necessary in the process of providing emergency psychological assistance to victims, which contribute to the development of professional readiness of the future teacher-psychologist for its implementation. The presented information confirms the positive dynamics of the initial level of the studied property of students and the significance of the achieved changes.

Improvement in Emotion Regulation While Detained Predicts Lower Juvenile Recidivism

The goal of the current study was to investigate the relationships between observer-rated skills related to emotional and cognitive regulation post-admission and pre-release in a secure facility and official records of juvenile felony recidivism up to 1 year after release. Data came from a sample of 599 youth in a residential facility in Washington state (84% male; 38% White). Latent change score models indicated that both initial level of emotional regulation skills and improvement in emotion regulation skills while incarcerated were significantly related to lower recidivism. This pattern of findings remained when controlling for length of stay, among other covariates. Follow-up analyses indicated that the results for emotion regulation skills might be driven primarily by monitoring internal and external triggers. Additional research should investigate the connection between emotion regulation skills and juvenile recidivism, with a special focus on trigger monitoring and how to improve those skills.

Formation of professional qualities of students of sports universities: a pedagogical problem

Успешная профессиональная деятельность будущих педагогов, бакалавров и специалистов физической культуры и спорта определяется не только наличием определённого уровня знаний, умений и навыков, но и сформированностью таких личностных компонентов как: цели, мотивация, способности, стрессоустойчивость. Соответственно, возникает педагогическая проблема, которая заключается в создании педагогических технологий и соответствующих условий, необходимых для эффективного формирования личностно-профессиональных качеств будущих специалистов сфере физической культуры и спорта. Исходя из данной проблемы, целью данной статьи является определение исходного уровня и состояния профессионально-личностных качеств студентов спортивных вузов, как фактор их готовности к будущей профессиональной деятельности (на примере специализации волейбол и баскетбол ФГБОУ ВО «Поволжский государственный университет физической культуры, спорта и туризма»). Авторы выдвинули гипотезу о том, что уровень сформированности определенных личностных качеств имеет значение при подготовке и обучении студентов профильных спортивных вузов к будущей деятельности. Для подтверждения данной гипотезы было проведено исследование с использованием методик PSM-25 Лемура-Тесье-Филлиона, Т. Элерса, Д.А. Леонтьева. Полученные результаты позволили выявить, что вид спорта и уровень спортивной квалификации влияют на проявление и формирование личностных профессиональных качеств студентов спортивного вуза. Приведенное исследование подтверждает необходимость педагогического обеспечения процесса формирования профессионально-личностных качеств, в том, числе стрессоустойчивость у студентов спортивных вузов (на примере специализации волейбол и баскетбол). Статья предназначена для педагогических кадров, работающих в области подготовки студентов спортивных ВУЗов и СУЗов. Successful professional activity of future teachers, bachelors and specialists of physical culture and sports is determined not only by the presence of a certain level of knowledge, skills and abilities, but also by the formation of such personal components as goals, motivation, abilities, stress resistance. Accordingly, a pedagogical problem arises, which consists in creating pedagogical technologies and appropriate conditions necessary for the effective formation of personal and professional qualities of future specialists in the field of physical culture and sports. Based on this problem, the purpose of this article is to determine the initial level and state of professional and personal qualities of students of sports universities as a factor of their readiness for future professional activity (using the example of the specialization volleyball and basketball of the Volga State University of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism). The authors hypothesized that the level of formation of certain personal qualities is important in the preparation and training of students of specialized sports universities for future activities. To confirm this hypothesis, a study was conducted using the methods of PSM-25 Lemur-Tessier-Fillion, T. Ehlers, D.A. Leontiev. The results obtained revealed that the type of sport and the level of sports qualifications affect the manifestation and formation of personal professional qualities of students of a sports university. The above study confirms the need for pedagogical support of the process of formation of professional and personal qualities, including stress resistance in students of sports universities (on the example of specialization volleyball and basketball). The article is intended for teaching staff working in the field of training students of sports universities and colleges.

Increasing Migrants' Work Self-efficacy and Job Search Self-efficacy Perceptions by Developing Career Adaptability

Today's unstable labor market increasingly requires flexibility and adaptability to cope with the threat of unemployment. It can cause distress in people and have a more significant negative impact on fragile workers, such as migrants. This study aimed to test whether a Career Counseling intervention designed for Migrants (CCfM) can develop Career Adaptability and, therefore, both Work Self-efficacy (WSe) and Job Search Self-efficacy (JSSe) perceptions. It was conducted in Italy and involved a sample of 233 migrants, who were asked to respond to a questionnaire available in three languages (Italian, French, and English). Data analysis showed that an improvement was demonstrated in all the variables considered, namely career adaptability (including concern, control, confidence, and curiosity), WSe, and JSSe, even though the CCfM was not directly designed to increase the last one. In addition, the development of career adaptability explained the increase in migrants' WSe and JSSe, and the initial level of career adaptability was found to explain the increase in WSe due to the initial positive level of curiosity.

Health Status Stability of Patients in a Medical Rehabilitation Program: What Are the Roles of Time, Physical Fitness Level, and Self-efficacy?

Background Individuals’ physical and mental health, as well as their chances of returning to work after their ability to work is damaged, can be addressed by medical rehabilitation. Aim This study investigated the developmental trends of mental and physical health among patients in medical rehabilitation and the roles of self-efficacy and physical fitness in the development of mental and physical health. Design A longitudinal design that included four time-point measurements across 15 months. Setting A medical rehabilitation center in Germany. Population Participants included 201 patients who were recruited from a medical rehabilitation center. Methods To objectively measure physical fitness (lung functioning), oxygen reabsorption at anaerobic threshold (VO2AT) was used, along with several self-report scales. Results We found a nonlinear change in mental health among medical rehabilitation patients. The results underscored the importance of medical rehabilitation for patients’ mental health over time. In addition, patients’ physical health was stable over time. The initial level of physical fitness (VO2AT) positively predicted their mental health and kept the trend more stable. Self-efficacy appeared to have a positive relationship with mental health after rehabilitation treatment. Conclusions This study revealed a nonlinear change in mental health among medical rehabilitation patients. Self-efficacy was positively related to mental health, and the initial level of physical fitness positively predicted the level of mental health after rehabilitation treatment. Clinical Rehabilitation More attention could be given to physical capacity and self-efficacy for improving and maintaining rehabilitants’ mental health.

Prognostic value of endotoxicosis criteria in the diagnosis of acute renal injury

In order to find informative statically significant laboratory criteria for endotoxicosis in the diagnosis of acute renal injury, a clinical and biochemical study of 40 patients with acute renal injury developed against the background of renal urological and extrarenal surgical pathology was conducted. The results of the study demonstrate pronounced changes in the mechanisms of antioxidant protection that develop in patients with acute renal injury. Deviations from the initial level of the studied criteria are interrelated with many links of pathogenesis, where one of the central links is ischemia of the renal parenchyma. The progression of endogenous intoxication, taking into account the data obtained, confirmed by a decrease in prooxidant protection contributes to the progression of intrarenal changes, aggravating functional changes in renal and extrarenal injuries. Key words: significance of endotoxicosis criteria, acute renal injury, endotoxicosis, serum creatinine, glomerular filtration rate.

SYNERGETICS AND FRACTAL GEOMETRY: PROSPECTS FOR COOPERATION

Статья посвящена анализу предпосылок образования синергетики и фрактальной геометрии с точки зрения историко-философского подхода. Авторы предпринимают попытку обоснования новых способов описания процессов, лежащих в основе положений синергетики путем применения фрактальной геометрии. Особое внимание уделяется рассмотрению перспектив использования основных положений синергетики и фрактальной геометрии к решению широкого спектра вопросов. Результаты анализа основных концепций теорий диссипативных систем, самоорганизации систем и фрактальной геометрии выявляют их согласованность в рамках постнеклассического научного познания. Теоретическая и / или практическая значимость исследования заключается в возможных перспективах в области моделирования поведения широкого ряда процессов различной природы с вероятным выявлением некоторых внесистемных механизмов функционирования, общих на своем начальном уровне для процессов любой природы. The article is devoted to the analysis of the prerequisites for the formation of synergetics and fractal geometry from the point of view of the historical and philosophical approach. The authors attempt to substantiate new ways of describing the processes underlying the provisions of synergetics by applying fractal geometry. Particular attention is paid to the prospects of using the main provisions of synergetics and fractal geometry to solve a wide range of issues. The results of the analysis of the main concepts of the theory of dissipative systems, self-organization of systems and fractal geometry reveal their consistency within the framework of post-non-classical scientific knowledge. Theoretical and / or Practical Implications the purpose of this study is to identify possible prospects in the field of modeling the behavior of a wide range of processes of various nature with the likely identification of some non-systemic mechanisms of functioning that are common at their initial level for processes of any nature.

Enhanced Skin Delivery of Therapeutic Peptides Using Spicule-Based Topical Delivery Systems

This study reports two therapeutic peptides, insulin (INS, as a hydrophilic model peptide) and cyclosporine A (CysA, as a hydrophobic one), that can be administrated through a transdermal or dermal route by using spicule-based topical delivery systems in vitro and in vivo. We obtained a series of spicules with different shapes and sizes from five kinds of marine sponges and found a good correlation between the skin permeability enhancement induced by these spicules and their aspect ratio L/D. In the case of INS, Sponge Haliclona sp. spicules (SHS) dramatically increased the transdermal flux of INS (457.0 ± 32.3 ng/cm2/h) compared to its passive penetration (5.0 ± 2.2 ng/cm2/h) in vitro. Further, SHS treatment slowly and gradually reduced blood glucose to 13.1 ± 6.3% of the initial level in 8 h, while subcutaneous injection resulted in a rapid blood glucose reduction to 15.9 ± 1.4% of the initial level in 4 h, followed by a rise back to 75.1 ± 24.0% of the initial level in 8 h. In the case of CysA, SHS in combination with ethosomes (SpEt) significantly (p < 0.05) increased the accumulation of CysA in viable epidermis compared to other groups. Further, SpEt reduced the epidermis thickness by 41.5 ± 9.4% in 7 days, which was significantly more effective than all other groups. Spicule-based topical delivery systems offer promising strategies for delivering therapeutic peptides via a transdermal or dermal route.

Automation, Expert Systems Calibration of Trust in Automated Driving: A Matter of Initial Level of Trust and Automated Driving Style?

Objective Automated driving is becoming a reality, and such technology raises new concerns about human–machine interaction on road. This paper aims to investigate factors influencing trust calibration and evolution over time. Background Numerous studies showed trust was a determinant in automation use and misuse, particularly in the automated driving context. Method Sixty-one drivers participated in an experiment aiming to better understand the influence of initial level of trust (Trustful vs. Distrustful) on drivers’ behaviors and trust calibration during two sessions of simulated automated driving. The automated driving style was manipulated as positive (smooth) or negative (abrupt) to investigate human–machine early interactions. Trust was assessed over time through questionnaires. Drivers’ visual behaviors and take-over performances during an unplanned take-over request were also investigated. Results Results showed an increase of trust over time, for both Trustful and Distrustful drivers regardless the automated driving style. Trust was also found to fluctuate over time depending on the specific events handled by the automated vehicle. Take-over performances were not influenced by the initial level of trust nor automated driving style. Conclusion Trust in automated driving increases rapidly when drivers’ experience such a system. Initial level of trust seems to be crucial in further trust calibration and modulate the effect of automation performance. Long-term trust evolutions suggest that experience modify drivers’ mental model about automated driving systems. Application In the automated driving context, trust calibration is a decisive question to guide such systems’ proper utilization, and road safety.