Assessment of Destructive Impact of Different Factors on Concrete Structures Durability

The durability of concrete structure members is dependent on several factors that should be analyzed at each stage of the construction process. Omitting any of these factors might lead to the augmentation of harmful interactions and, as an effect, to safety hazards and the degradation of a structure or its parts. The article, based on several years of studies on exploited concrete structures, presents the effects of an incorrect analysis of selected factors resulting in the occurrence of faults significantly influencing the possibility of safe use of the objects. The described cases include, but are not limited to, the consequences of an improper assessment of building conditions after a biogas explosion in a fermentation chamber, the effect of a wood dust explosion, fire temperature and firefighting action on the prestressed girders, the stages of degradation of bearing structures supporting gas tanks exploited in an aggressive environment, and the consequences of omitting the temperature load in relation to the upper surface of a plate covering the fire pond. In each case, methods of restoration of the damaged elements were proposed, and their application to engineering practice was described. The practical aspects of the conducted research and implemented interventions were indicated.

Teaching and Assessment through Online Platforms during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Benefits and Challenges

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has compelled education systems across the globe to fully embrace online learning as an alternative to face-to-face classes. This has resulted in a paradigm shift, in which online teaching and assessment practices continue to gain prominence at the tertiary level. Hence, this study explores lecturers' teaching and assessment strategies for teaching university students through online platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study has used a framework of SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunities, and threats) analysis as its theoretical base. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with five lecturers from three universities in Gauteng Province, South Africa. The collected data was analysed using content analysis. This study found that lecturers were able to manage the teaching and assessment processes during the COVID-19 school restrictions, using a combination of platforms such as Blackboard-collaborate, WhatsApp, Kahoot, and Google Classroom. The findings also revealed that a wide variety of teaching and assessment methodologies, including small group work, collaborative learning, case methods, discussion posts, multiple choice quizzes, chats, game activities, open-ended questions, and essays were utilized on these platforms. Although the methodologies used for teaching and assessing on these platforms require additional preparation time, they also help increase interaction between students and enable immediate grading of scripts and student feedback. Further findings revealed that online assessment is highly susceptible to test/examination malpractices. This study provided recommendations helpful to policymakers, lecturers, and students regarding online teaching and assessment strategies.

The Improvement of the Procedural Order for Checking the Reasons and Grounds for Initiating a Criminal Case

Introduction: the range of tasks facing the stage of initiating a criminal case is quite diverse, which leads to different interpretations of their content by the scientists-processualists. The authors of the paper assess the problems of determining the reasons and grounds for initiating a criminal case. The problem considered by the authors of the manuscript is relevant because of their insufficiently clear legislative definition and their related ambiguous interpretation. The purpose of the study: to identify the problems that hinder the improvement of the procedural order for checking the reasons and grounds for initiating a criminal case. The research objectives: to analyze the points of view of the scientists-processualists about the expediency of eliminating the first stage of the criminal process; to offer some recommendations for transforming the stage of initiating a criminal case. Methods: the methodological framework for the study is represented by a system of methods of scientific cognition, which should include: general scientific, systemic, institutional, and comparative legal. Results: the paper provides an assessment of the position of some researchers specializing in criminal procedure law on the need to eliminate the stage of initiating a criminal case, which the authors of the paper do not share, citing the following arguments: the considered stage of the criminal process acts as a kind of filter that separates the law enforcement agencies from procedural activities for the analysis of information that does not hide the signs of a criminally punishable act; will cause an increase in the burden on investigators and interrogators; the burden on the federal budget will increase due to the procedural costs. Conclusions: considering the possibility of improving the stage of initiating a criminal case, borrowing the experience of the representative countries of the Anglo-Saxon legal system, the authors of the paper conclude that as a result of this, the procedural status of some participants in the criminal process will change, which is alien to the Russian criminal procedure legislation: the replacement of the functions of the investigator by the prosecutor and the court; the exercise of the function of the body of inquiry by the investigator; the acquisition by the defender of the status of the subject of proof on a par with the investigator and the inquirer. It is noted that the attempt of the legislator to give evidentiary value to the information obtained during the preinvestigation check as an independent reason for initiating a criminal case was not successful.

THE PLACE OF SOFT SKILLS SOCIAL SKILLS IN THE SYSTEM OF COMPETENCES OF FUTURE SOCIAL WORKERS

The article considers the issues of future social workers' competencies and the need to develop three groups of skills: hard skills, soft skills, digital skills. The relationship between social skills and soft skills has been established. The main components of soft skills for future social workers are identified critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication. The main methods of future social workers' social skills development of soft skills in Ukrainian modern institutions of higher education are established self-study (on mastering the models of effective activity); search for the opposite (regarding the effectiveness of professional activities from the standpoint of gaining personal experience); studying the experience of successful people, interaction with the coach (mentor); situational training; case methods; a combination of obtaining the necessary education with the implementation of activities in the speciality (dual education).

Analyzing the potential of entrepreneurial activity in the recreational sphere of Greater Yalta

Subject. The article investigates the potential of recreational business activity, which is understood as all financial, production, and entrepreneurial capabilities of enterprises in this area. Objectives. The purpose is to assess the recreational opportunities and provide recommendations, using the Greater Yalta case. Methods. The study employs methods of correlation and regression analysis, being the main tools for analyzing the activities of enterprises in the context of seasonality. Results. The paper shows that the reasons for the current state of recreational enterprises are the problem of seasonality. It establishes that these enterprises have a high level of capacity underutilization – about half of their production (54%), financial (53%), and more than a half of their entrepreneurial capacity (66%). To predict changes in the profits of enterprises, the paper identifies a number of measures for resource optimization. Conclusions. To improve the efficiency of recreational enterprises, it is necessary to find ways to optimize resources, in accordance with their business activity, or to increase the volume of activities during the off-season period. The obtained seasonality coefficients can be used in calculating the need for personnel, training, and determining the required minimum, which will be an object of investment in human capital (20%), as well as the minimum amount of all working capital.

Reference Case Methods for Expert Elicitation in Health Care Decision Making

Background The evidence used to inform health care decision making (HCDM) is typically uncertain. In these situations, the experience of experts is essential to help decision makers reach a decision. Structured expert elicitation (referred to as elicitation) is a quantitative process to capture experts’ beliefs. There is heterogeneity in the existing elicitation methodology used in HCDM, and it is not clear if existing guidelines are appropriate for use in this context. In this article, we seek to establish reference case methods for elicitation to inform HCDM. Methods We collated the methods available for elicitation using reviews and critique. In addition, we conducted controlled experiments to test the accuracy of alternative methods. We determined the suitability of the methods choices for use in HCDM according to a predefined set of principles for elicitation in HCDM, which we have also generated. We determined reference case methods for elicitation in HCDM for health technology assessment (HTA). Results In almost all methods choices available for elicitation, we found a lack of empirical evidence supporting recommendations. Despite this, it is possible to define reference case methods for HTA. The reference methods include a focus on gathering experts with substantive knowledge of the quantities being elicited as opposed to those trained in probability and statistics, eliciting quantities that the expert might observe directly, and individual elicitation of beliefs, rather than solely consensus methods. It is likely that there are additional considerations for decision makers in health care outside of HTA. Conclusions The reference case developed here allows the use of different methods, depending on the decision-making setting. Further applied examples of elicitation methods would be useful. Experimental evidence comparing methods should be generated.

Formation of retinal pigment epithelium rupture in a patient with wet form of macular degeneration against the background of anti-vegf therapy

Purpose. To present possible complications of anti-VEGF therapy in patients with high pigment epithelial detachment on the basis of a clinical case. Methods. A clinical case of pigment epithelium rupture formation in a patient on the background of anti-VEGF therapy with aflibercept. Results. The presented clinical case clearly demonstrates the significance of OCT-signs of high risk of pigment epithelium rupture formation. The question of anti-VEGF therapy continuation in case of detection of these signs in a patient with continued activity of the process, as well as the choice of the drug, remains open. Key words: wet macular degeneration; pigment epithelium detachment; pigment epithelium rupture; aflibircept; ranibizumab.

Paradigm of reforming higher legal education in Ukraine in the context of training practising students

The relevance of the study was explained by a special public demand for the quality of legal education, ensuring compliance of the content of legal education with modern requirements of the labour market and the tasks of professional activity of lawyers. The purpose of the study was to consider methodological, research and theoretical, legislative, educational, and methodological foundations regarding the practical orientation of the educational process of training lawyers as a paradigm for reforming higher legal education and determining the forms of organising the educational process aimed at improving the quality of legal education. The methodological framework of the study was formed considering philosophical, general scientific, and special scientific methods of scientific cognition. Conceptual approaches to the introduction of possible methodological forms of organising practical training of students into the educational process of higher legal educational institutions were proposed, considering the elements of the Bologna Process and the development of a unified educational space according to the European vector of development of Ukraine. The study considered methodological, scientific and theoretical, legal, and methodological foundations for a general understanding of the practical training of law students in the educational process, its functional purpose in the context of implementing the reform of legal education as a component of legal reform in Ukraine. The study emphasised the necessity of preserving and further developing fundamental higher legal education and combine it with the established national and foreign doctrines of law and the practical orientation of the educational process as a paradigm for reforming legal education in Ukraine. It was concluded that the development of practical skills and abilities of a legal education applicant occurs in the educational process due to various forms of methodological organisation of the educational process. In particular, the authors considered the features of conducting practical classes using case methods and solving incidents, as well as binary classes, practical training, working in a law clinic, performing dual education, taking part in court debates, etc. The practical value of this study lies in the fact that it proved the advisability of preserving the national traditions of higher legal education in the educational process and introducing new, progressive forms of the educational process aimed at improving the quality of higher legal education, which would meet the requirements of the labour market and the challenges facing a modern democratic society, global development trends and tasks of professional activity of lawyers in various fields

Robustness assessment of a novel 4D optimization approach for lung cancer radiotherapy

One of the main challenges to treatment of lung cancer with radiation therapy is the tumor motion due to respiration. Previously, a novel approach was developed to generate treatment plans which compensate for respiratory motion and its variations. The worst case method is based on combining two intensity maps from two 4D plans optimized on the two worst cases of motion variations. The worst case planning method was previously tested on simulated motion variations. The goal of this project was to further test the worst case approach on realistic patient motion variations and treatment planning data. Two approaches to combining worst case plans were investigated: the first method takes the average of the two intensity maps, and the second method takes the maximum intensity of the two intensity maps. The robustness of worst case plans was compared with ITV plans and nominal 4D plans on three different motion variation scenarios. Study 1 and 2 investigated the robustness of the worst case methods on amplitude variations and patient motion variations on simulated image data. Study 3 investigated the robustness of the worst case methods on patient motion variations using real patient image data. The average intensity worst case method was only robust to Study 3 motion variations. The maximum intensity worst case method, the margin based, and the nominal approaches were not robust to any of the motion variations. Further evaluation over a wide range of tumour sizes, motion amplitudes and variability is required to determine the clinical applicability of the worst case planning method.

Robustness assessment of a novel 4D optimization approach for lung cancer radiotherapy

One of the main challenges to treatment of lung cancer with radiation therapy is the tumor motion due to respiration. Previously, a novel approach was developed to generate treatment plans which compensate for respiratory motion and its variations. The worst case method is based on combining two intensity maps from two 4D plans optimized on the two worst cases of motion variations. The worst case planning method was previously tested on simulated motion variations. The goal of this project was to further test the worst case approach on realistic patient motion variations and treatment planning data. Two approaches to combining worst case plans were investigated: the first method takes the average of the two intensity maps, and the second method takes the maximum intensity of the two intensity maps. The robustness of worst case plans was compared with ITV plans and nominal 4D plans on three different motion variation scenarios. Study 1 and 2 investigated the robustness of the worst case methods on amplitude variations and patient motion variations on simulated image data. Study 3 investigated the robustness of the worst case methods on patient motion variations using real patient image data. The average intensity worst case method was only robust to Study 3 motion variations. The maximum intensity worst case method, the margin based, and the nominal approaches were not robust to any of the motion variations. Further evaluation over a wide range of tumour sizes, motion amplitudes and variability is required to determine the clinical applicability of the worst case planning method.