Utrametric diffusion equation on energy landscape to model disease spread in hierarchic socially clustered population

We present a new mathematical model of disease spread reflecting some specialities of the covid-19 epidemic by elevating the role of hierarchic social clustering of population. The model can be used to explain slower approaching herd immunity, e.g., in Sweden, than it was predicted by a variety of other mathematical models and was expected by epidemiologists; see graphs Fig. \ref{fig:minipage1},\ref{fig:minipage2}. The hierarchic structure of social clusters is mathematically modeled with ultrametric spaces having treelike geometry. To simplify mathematics, we consider trees with the constant number $p>1$ of branches leaving each vertex. Such trees are endowed with an algebraic structure, these are $p$-adic number fields. We apply theory of the $p$-adic diffusion equation to describe a virus spread in hierarchically clustered population. This equation has applications to statistical physics and microbiology for modeling {\it dynamics on energy landscapes.} To move from one social cluster (valley) to another, a virus (its carrier) should cross a social barrier between them. The magnitude of a barrier depends on the number of social hierarchy's levels composing this barrier. We consider {\it linearly increasing barriers.} A virus spreads rather easily inside a social cluster (say working collective), but jumps to other clusters are constrained by social barriers. This behavior matches with the covid-19 epidemic, with its cluster spreading structure. Our model differs crucially from the standard mathematical models of spread of disease, such as the SIR-model; in particular, by notion of the probability to be infected (at time $t$ in a social cluster $C).$ We present socio-medical specialities of the covid-19 epidemic supporting our model.

Interfacing aptamers, nanoparticles and graphene in a hierarchical structure for highly selective detection of biomolecules in OECT devices

In several biomedical applications, the detection of biomarkers demands high sensitivity, selectivity and easy-to-use devices. Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) represent a promising class of devices combining a minimal invasiveness and good signal transduction. However, OECTs lack of intrinsic selectivity that should be implemented by specific approaches to make them well suitable for biomedical applications. Here, we report on a biosensor in which selectivity and a high sensitivity are achieved by interfacing, in an OECT architecture, a novel gate electrode based on aptamers, Au nanoparticles and graphene hierarchically organized to optimize the final response. The fabricated biosensor performs state of the art limit of detection monitoring biomolecules, such as thrombin-with a limit of detection in the picomolar range (≤ 5 pM) and a very good selectivity even in presence of supraphysiological concentrations of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA-1mM). These accomplishments are the final result of the gate hierarchic structure that reduces sterich indrance that could contrast the recognition events and minimizes false positive, because of the low affinity of graphene towards the physiological environment. Since our approach can be easily applied to a large variety of different biomarkers, we envisage a relevant potential for a large series of different biomedical applications.

A multi-criteria qualitative tool for the sustainability assessment of organic durum wheat-based farming systems designed through a participative process

The agriculture sustainability assessment is a difficult issue for the coexistence of conflicting objectives and the multidimensionality of the performances. The environmental, economic and social pillars need to be simultaneously considered in an assessment to evaluate potential synergies and trade-offs of the agricultural processes within and among the attributes of the dimensions in both implemented systems (ex-post analysis) and potential options (ex-ante analysis). Among several sustainability assessment methods, tools based on multi-criteria analysis (MCA) are increasingly adopted in evaluating sustainability in agriculture. The aim of this work was to present the MCA tool developed in the framework of the BioDurum project for the sustainability assessment of organic farms located in southern Italy and characterised by durum wheat-based crop rotations. The tool was entirely designed through a participatory process and it was realised using the open-source DEXi software that have demonstrated to be particularly suitable for creating qualitative multi-criterial hierarchic models with the engage of stakeholders. The hierarchic structure of BioDurum_MCA tool was resulted composed by 64 indicators and 45 aggregated attributes articulated in three branches representing the agro-environment, economic, and social sustainability pillars. The articulated structure of the tool reflected the complexity and the sustainability issues and priorities expressed by the involved stakeholders. The tool was tested in four Italian organic farms presenting different agro-environmental and socio-economic patterns for their ex-post evaluations and in three different ex-ante production systems identified in compliance with the Italian regulation concerning the requirements of the rotations to be implemented in organic farming. The results highlighted the well discriminatory power of the tool. The best overall sustainability scores were reached in both ex-post and ex-ante analysis by the well diversified cereal farming systems with processed products sold through short supply chain mechanisms. BioDurum_MCA has proved to be a feasible tool to identify strengths and weaknesses of organic durum wheat-based production systems. Its adoption can support the definition of specific interventions for the sector in the Italian Strategic National Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy. Further improvements in the threshold classes of some indicators by using the tool in a wider number of Italian durum wheat based organic farms will increase model sensitivity and reliability of the results. Highlights - BioDurum_MCA is an effective tool for sustainability assessment of durum wheat organic Italian production systems. - Hierarchic structure of the tool reflects the sustainability issues and priorities expressed by involved stakeholders. - MCA tools can support a holistic evaluation of farm sustainability performances in the frame of post-2020 CAP.

Human factor in professional activity of aviation maintenance specialists as an element of flight security

Target of this article is to consider particularities of human factor influence in professional activity of aviation maintenance specialists. In consequence of theoretic analysis of studying of this problem were discovered preconditions and recent trends of development of human factor at specialists of this activity area as well as were identified structural components of mentioned phenomenon. According to that, the authors made a description of defining characteristics of manifestation of human factor in professional activity of aviation maintenance specialists: psychophysiological particularities of employees, professional requirements for carrying out of this activity and work conditions of those specialists. All this, at the opinion of authors, is one of determinants of human factor manifestation at aviation maintenance specialists. As to the improvement of professional activity level of specialists of this field, following levels of human factor manifestation at aviation maintenance specialists with precise hierarchic structure of its development were identified: sensory-perceptual level (work of human analyzer system), personal level (value-motivational aspect of carrying out of professional activity) and professional level (development of professional competence of personnel). At the basis thereof it was elaborated authors functional three-stage hierarchic model of human factor of aviation maintenance specialists. In order to decrease the risk of mistakes making by specialists during solving professional problems at any level of their committing, it was suggested a number of activities for improvement of human factor in professional activity of aviation maintenance specialists, which are directed to the development of sensory-perceptual, personal and professional levels.

Interlamellar matrix governs human annulus fibrosus multiaxial behavior

Establishing accurate structure–property relationships for intervertebral disc annulus fibrosus tissue is a fundamental task for a reliable computer simulation of the human spine but needs excessive theoretical-numerical-experimental works. The difficulty emanates from multiaxiality and anisotropy of the tissue response along with regional dependency of a complex hierarchic structure interacting with the surrounding environment. We present a new and simple hybrid microstructure-based experimental/modeling strategy allowing adaptation of animal disc model to human one. The trans-species strategy requires solely the basic knowledge of the uniaxial circumferential response of two different animal disc regions to predict the multiaxial response of any human disc region. This work demonstrates for the first time the determining role of the interlamellar matrix connecting the fibers-reinforced lamellae in the disc multiaxial response. Our approach shows encouraging multiaxial predictive capabilities making it a promising tool for human spine long-term prediction.

THE JOB EXCHANGES FOR GRADUATES IN ROMANIA – THE ASSESSMENT OF THE TERRITORIAL DISPARITIES

The job exchanges for graduates represent the major offer-and-demand framework organised by the majority of territorial structures of the National Employment Agency, which have a pyramidal/hierarchic structure. The paper focuses on supply and demand territorial aspects on the labour market for graduates; how employer demand is conveyed to graduates and how well the skills that young people gain are utilized on the job. The present study represents a quantitative assessment of the job supply and demand for graduates and a qualitative territorial assessment of the results recorded by the job-exchange for this category of young labour force. This latter approach is based on a series of 7 indicators, in order to point out the main territorial characteristics of the job exchange for graduates. The general assessment index (calculated like the arithmetical average of the standardized values of the indicators selected) varies between 0 and 0.762, the agencies for employment being divided in four categories: 1 - “No activity and no results“, 2 - “Very low activity and very few results” and “Low activity and very few result“, 3 - “Low activity and few results” and 4 - “Moderate activity and good results”.

METHODOLOGY OF SYNTHESIS OF PACKING MACHINES FOR FOOD PRODUCTS BASED ON MULTICRITERIAL ANALYSIS

The complex of technical means for optimization synthesis of assembling of a packing machine of separate functional modules has been developed. The method of synthesis of a packing machine, based on criterial assessment of separate functional modules (FM), combined by two main assessment groups, has been offered. FM may be selected and calculated by the program of consumption, based on the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) criterion. An example of synthesis, based on the offered method, takes into account variants of choice of ready functional modules, based on the hierarchic structure of a module of roll packing material supply. The method takes into account the systemic approach to analysis of equipment constructions for packing fine-piece and piece food products in a consumption package. The synthesis of FM assembling as conceptual models, abstract ones, reflecting the construction structure and connections between separate elements – functional devices (FD) – has been offered. The optimal assembling of the functional device in the structure of the functional module of roll packing material supply has been determined. As a result of solving this problem, a FM1 prototype has been created. At conducting the comparative analysis with the existent equipment, the automatic functional device has been modeled. The use of the OEE criterion with joint properties that reflects the generalized assessment of a packing machine or functional module with a maximin (minimax) criterion by the compromise principle has been substantiated. The analysis is grounded on the idea of optimality of each module or device of the machine for packing food products at adding each next functional module to its composition. The program of assessment calculation of the package equipment with the complex assessment criterion OEE for different assembling of FMi machines for packing piece and fine-piece products has been developed. The FM of roll film material supply with using a microprocessor managing device that maintains a sinusoidal law of movement of a stretching roll of the packing machine has been developed. Optimal characteristics of the technical system have been determined. Results, obtained at processing experimental data, confirm adequacy of the offered method for assessing assembling solutions

Public Law of Ukraine under the conditions of a post-industrial state

In this paper the problem of inconsistency between current principle of Public Law and principles of humanity and anthropocent -rism, which is defined by the shortage of due diligence of scientists to the problem of essence transformation and functions of modernstate as the target of research of Public Law is investigated.Fundamental beliefs of domestic science of Public Law correspond to the traditional (industrial) awareness of a state as verticallyintegrated management system, it has an expressive hierarchic structure with a pyramidal distribution of power on the territory of itsinfluence and prescribes certain rules (laws), which are mandatory.A post-industrial, human-centered state is an institution of civil society (namely, the highest form of its organization), which distinguishesit from a traditional state, where there is a single source of “state administration” – is a group of people or one person whorepresents the leadership. The act becomes a law not because the act is issued and provided by the state, but because such activity ofthe state is legitimized by the society. That is, the state appears as one of the instruments of legal regulation, but only under the conditionof its public legitimacy. In such a state, law is not the output of governmental power aimed at regulating and managing society, but atthe means of regulating and limiting governmental power, which is created by people for human activity, and the state itself becomesan active participant in law-making and guarantor of proper implementation of legal norms.It has been determined that the awareness of the essence of the modern state in the domestic science of Public Law correspondsto the model of traditional (industrial) state-legal relations, while domestic Legal science and practice of Public Law requires changesin existing fundamental beliefs that would reflect the essence of post-industrial (information) state.