A Study on Priority of Classification System for Agro-healing Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process

Background and objective: As the ‘Healing Agriculture Research and Development and Promotion Act’ came into effect on March 25, 2021, social interest in agro-healing has been increasing exponentially. This study was conducted to analyze the priorities of agro-healing classification system and to provide basic data to inform policy directions and related research for the development and activation of agro-healing.Methods: The survey data collected from 18 experts were analyzed using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method in determine the relative weights of the main and sub-criteria for the classification system. There were three main criteria identified: agro-healing input industry, agro-healing service industry, and agro-healing-related/derived industry. There were also 11 sub-criteria.Results: The top three sub-criteria with the highest complex weights include “community service,” “social rehabilitation” and “treatment and rehabilitation,” all of which correspond to the main criterion “agro-healing service industry”. In addition, the complex weights of the sub-criteria corresponding to the main criterion “agro-healing related/derived industry” are as follows: “other agro-healing support service,” which ranked 4th, and “training and education institutions for agro-healing experts,” which ranked 5th when prioritizing the criteria.Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the main criterion to be considered first in establishing a classification system is “agro-healing service industry”. Therefore, it is necessary to continue research on detailed service classifications and systems with verified validity to ensure expertise in human resources, and organization related to social purpose services in agro-healing.

Anthropic Influences on the Quality of Underground Waters for Human Consumption in Russas, Ceará, Northeastern Brazil

In regions with semi-arid characteristics, groundwater is a precious source of water supply, mainly from alluvium, due to the decent quality of its waters. However, the sandy texture favors vulnerability, and the infiltration and percolation of fluids increase the risk of contamination of the aquifer in the presence of polluting sources. The population’s knowledge about these problems is still ephemeral, which can lead to the consumption of contaminated water, putting health at risk. Thus, research was conducted in the municipality of Russas – Ceará, to study the quality of groundwater, the possible polluting sources in the urban area, and assess the possible risks to human health. First, technical visits for reconnaissance and survey of information were conducted, such as possible polluting sources and situations of existing wells. The selection of wells to collect water followed criteria of proximity to polluting sources, well conditions, and, mainly, those linked to the use of water for human consumption. The result showed that 43% of the samples are above the limits proved by Brazilian legislation for turbidity, total hardness, TDS, sodium, chloride, and nitrate, while the others are withinthe standard. Concerning chlorides and nitrates, the concentrations show there is possibly a relationship with anthropic contaminants(agricultural area; domestic effluents) for the aquifer recharge areas and condition common problems to human health. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to continue research in Medical Geology that will enable the monitoring and future management of water quality of groundwater for the population.

Anton Vitalievich Nemilov: A Versatile Talent

The article is dedicated to the outstanding Russian histologist Professor Anton Vitalievich Nemilov, who, being a student of St. Petersburg Imperial University, was one of the first students of Alexander Stanislavovich Dogel, the world-famous Russian scientist, the founder of neurohistology. Having so far shown a bright talent of a researcher and experimenter in his student years, Anton Vitalievich was invited to prepare for a professorship at the university and over and above met expectations based on him. He significantly contributed to the development of neurohistology, histophysiology, including histophysiology of the reproductive system. Anton Vitalievich did a lot for development of endocrinology, which he studied in a general biological but not in a purely medical aspect; this was new and valuable for that period. Finally, he made his contribution to the development of cell theory. A talented teacher, an excellent lecturer, an author of a number of brilliant textbooks, a consummate popularizer of science, an active public figure – Anton Vitalievich demonstrated so many diverse talents during his life, which was not really long, that their combination in one person seems simply unbelievable. His life was in full swing, he was full of creative plans, but the Great Patriotic War prevented their implementation. It started when Anton Vitalievich was 62 years old. Professor A.V. Nemilov wanted to continue research at his native Leningrad University, refused to be evacuated, and remained in the besieged city. With his peculiar enthusiasm, Anton Vitalievich joined defense work, angrily denounced fascism in his articles and radio speeches. However, hunger and cold of the blockade undermined his strength, and he died of exhaustion on February 2, 1942. He was under 63 years old. The article dedicated to Anton Vitalievich Nemilov presents milestones of his life and work, his contribution to science, his professional and personal traits. The paper also highlights his participation in the fight against fascism and tragic death during the blockade of Leningrad.

3D Printing of Temporary Prostheses for Controlled-Release of Drugs: Design, Physical Characterization and Preliminary Studies

In recent years, the use of 3D printing technologies in orthopedic surgery has markedly increased, as they offer the possibility of printing personalized prostheses. The work presented in this article is a preliminary study of a research project which aims to manufacture customized spacers containing antibiotics for use in joint replacement surgery. The objective of this work was to design and print different 3D constructs to evaluate the use of different materials, their properties after the process of 3D printing, such as resistance, and the release kinetics of drugs from the constructs. Different designs and different materials were analyzed to obtain a 3D construct with suitable properties. Our design takes advantage of the micropores created between the layers of the 3D printed filaments to release the contained drug. Using polylactic acid (PLA) we were able to print cylindrical structures with interconnected micropores and a hollow chamber capable of releasing methylene blue, which was selected as a model drug. The final PLA 3D construct was printed with a 10% infill. The physical and technological characteristics, morphological changes at body temperature and interaction with water were considered to be acceptable. The PLA 3D printed constructs were found to have sufficient strength to withstand a force of 500 kg. The results obtained allow to continue research in this project, with the aim of manufacturing prostheses containing a reservoir of antibiotics or other drugs in their interior for their subsequent controlled release.

Drainage of an ice-dammed lake through a supraglacial stream: hydraulics and thermodynamics

The glacier-dammed Lac des Faverges, located on Glacier de la Plaine Morte (Swiss Alps), has drained annually as a glacier lake outburst flood since 2011. In 2018, the lake volume reached more than 2 × 106 m3, and the resulting flood caused damage to the infrastructure downstream. In 2019, a supraglacial channel was dug to artificially initiate a surface lake drainage, thus limiting the lake water volume and the corresponding hazard. The peak in lake discharge was successfully reduced by over 90 % compared to 2018. We conducted extensive field measurements of the lake-channel system during the 48 d drainage event of 2019 to characterize its hydraulics and thermodynamics. The derived Darcy–Weisbach friction factor, which characterizes the water flow resistance in the channel, ranges from 0.17 to 0.48. This broad range emphasizes the factor's variability and questions the choice of a constant friction factor in glacio-hydrological models. For the Nusselt number, which relates the channel-wall melt to the water temperature, we show that the classic, empirical Dittus–Boelter equation with the standard coefficients does not adequately represent our measurements, and we propose a suitable pair of coefficients to fit our observations. This hints at the need to continue research into how heat transfer at the ice–water interface is described in the context of glacial hydraulics.

Analysis and Development Potential of Predictive Models for Energy Flows of Autonomous Hybrid Energy Systems

The article is devoted to the analysis and development potential for predictive models of energy flows of autonomous hybrid energy systems. The article considers the results of the analysis in the form of a morphological table and TRIZ–evolutionary map. The research defined the most promising in predicting energy flows are hybrid models that include more than one architecture. For example, DCNN + LSTM or MLP + LS–SVR. The authors intend to continue research in the direction of creating predictive models of wind energy flows for autonomous hybrid energy systems.

Influence to the Audience as a Communicative Function in Brand Management

Relevance and problem of the topic. Exploring the influence of brand communication on different audiences is a complex and responsible process because the same communicated message to different audiences can be understood differently. An improperly communicated message may not reach the audience, be misunderstood, or provoke a hostile reaction, however, a properly chosen communication message may have the desired influence to the audience. How to communicate with different audiences and what methods to choose are especially important in today’s rapidly changing context.The problem analyzed in this article can be defined by the following questions: How to communicate with the audience? What influences to choose from? Based on this information, it will be possible to continue research in the field of public relations management to reveal the influence of brand communication on the audience, it can help brands to gain a competitive advantage in the markets and create greater added value.Problems. It is not entirely known what impact brand communication has on audiences. It is important for brands not only to create a brand image but also to find and choose the most appropriate ways to communicate with the audience so that individuals receive the communication message sent to them in the most acceptable and understandable ways. Improper communication, inaccurately chosen methods of communication with the audience can lead to undesirable consequences. The message sent by the brand can be misunderstood and interpreted, it can lead to undesirable negative consequences and cause reputational crises, leading to significant psychological, social, financial losses. Properly selected communication can help brands gain a competitive edge in the markets and create greater added value.Objective. To review and analyze the ways of brand’s communication, which aims to influence the audiences.The object: the influence of communication in brand managementTasks: 1) To analyze the concept of the brand; 2) To analyze the concept of the audience; 3) To review the ways of brand communication influence.Methods of comparative theoretical analysis and synthesis of the literature, generalization.Brand management consists of the role of the brand and the symbolic elements of the brand (brand name, logo, text). The brand is the most durable asset of the company. Good results are achieved by companies that are able to choose a brand strategy that meets consumer expectations. Brands can also make the influence by creating compelling knowledge and news by communicating in ways that reduce cognitive stress. In order to influence other people, it is possible to do so by appealing to the feelings of the audience, realizing the main emotions - anger, fear, sadness, feeling of happiness, disgust. It is important to monitor what kind of emotions brand communication causes to the audience, pay attention to the feedback. An audience can be interpreted as everything that an individual or organization communicates. In order to present news to the audience as convincingly and persuasively as possible, it is important to segment the audience and create a description of the target user.

Synchronous online nominal group sessions in times of COVID-19: recommendations for researchers based on a Fishbone analysis (Preprint)

BACKGROUND In times of COVID-19, we are challenged to experiment with alternative platforms or software to connect people. In particular, the struggle in health research arose to interact with patients and care professionals. The latter is additionally faced with an extreme workload to fight the pandemic crisis. Creative strategies are developed to continue research among patients and care professionals to improve quality of care. This paper addresses the issue of synchronous online nominal group sessions, a common consensus method used for group brainstorming. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to share our experiences with performing online nominal group sessions using the video conference software Microsoft® Teams. In addition, we aim to create a practical guide with recommendations for researchers. METHODS We critically analysed data collection of online nominal group sessions, according to the Fishbone methodology. RESULTS Performing synchronous online nominal group sessions is challenging but offers opportunities. Although interaction with and among the attendees complicates the process, the major advantage of online sessions is their accessibility and low time investment. The role of the moderators is of major importance and good preparation beforehand is required. Recommendations for future online nominal research were formulated. CONCLUSIONS Online nominal group sessions seem to be a promising alternative for the real-life commonly used technique. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the benefits must be highlighted. More expertise is needed to further refine the practical guide for using digital software in research and to achieve optimal performance.

Characterization of indoor arenas through an anonymous survey

Equine farms are building both stables for the horses to live in and additional facilities to train and work horses . For many of these farms, an outdoor arena that has an all-weather footing is the first working facility built. During inclement weather the ability to train in the outdoor arenas is inhibited, which in turn means the trainers, riders, and farms lose income as money is only made when horses are working, training, and competing. Indoor arenas allow for horses to continue to be worked no matter the weather conditions. The equine industry contributes a total of $122 billion dollars a year to the United States’ economy. The expenditures to build and maintain these arenas the horses utilize for training and work are a portion of the equine economic contribution . During the summer of 2018, an anonymous online survey was conducted to begin to characterize indoor arenas. Owners, managers, and riders were questioned on a variety of topics including arena construction and design, arena usage, footing type, maintenance practices, environmental concerns, and potential health issues experienced within the facilities. Respondents in the study defined indoor arenas differently depending on geographic region, however most definitions included a roof, some enclosure, and footing in order to work the horses. In addition, of the 335 respondents of the survey, 71% or 239 respondents reported having concerns about the environment within the indoor arena. The three main concerns are dust, moisture, and lack of air movement. Overall, the survey begins to build our understanding regarding these facilities and provides the framework to continue research in the future.

Clinical case of combined intestinal infection caused by enteroaggregative Escherichia coli and toxigenic strain Clostridium difficile in a child with cystic fibrosis

The goal is to study the peculiarities of the clinical picture and the distant outcome of intestinal infection due to enteroaggregative escherichiosis and the toxigenic strain of C. difficile in a child with cystic fibrosis.Material and methods. To verify the etiology of intestinal infection, the following studies were conducted. — fecal PCR “OKI-screen” tests to detect viral and bacterial pathogens, fecal bacteriopsy for pathogenic and opportunistic microbes; determination of C. difficile A and B toxins in feces by enzyme-linked fluorescence analysis.Results. The combined intestinal infection caused by en-teroaggregative escherichiosis and a toxigenic strain of C. difficile, in a child with pulmonary-intestinal form of cystic fibrosis was characterized by a wavy course, a pronounced intoxication syndrome, excicosis, hemorrhagic enterocolitis, signs of systemic and local inflammation, metabolic disorders. There were no recurrences of C. difficile-infection in catamnese.Conclusion. It is necessary to continue research on the course of intestinal infections caused by bacterial associations of pathogens.