Vitality Analysis Algorithm in the Study of Plant Individuals and Populations

Background: The article presents an algorithm of the vitality analysis of plant individuals in the populations that enables the assessment of the prospects for the existence of species within certain phytocenoses and provides important information on the conditions of their growth. There are three basic stages of the algorithm: the first stage is the selection of qualitative characters, which characterize the viability of individuals; the second stage is the assessment of the vitality of specific plant individuals included in the sampling; the third stage is an integral assessment of the population vitality structure. Objective: The goal of the study is to develop the basic algorithm for vitality analysis of populations based on the assessment of the vitality of plant individuals, as well as the authors’ algorithms for vitality analysis, considering the characteristic features of species, in particular, their different life strategies (C-type and R-type). The algorithm of the vitality analysis is demonstrated on the example of populations of the annual weed Persicaria scabra Moench (Polygonaceae), which grows in the pea crop planting (Sumy Region, Ukraine). Methods: The algorithm of vitality analysis is based on the method of Yu. A. Zlobin, which includes 3 main stages. The vitality analysis of populations is carried out on the basis of the assessment of the vitality of certain individuals. The assessment of the vitality structure of populations is the third stage of vitality analysis, where the population belonging to the prosperous, equilibrium, or depressive types is determined depending on the ratio of individuals of different vitality classes (a, b, c). The calculation of the vitality analysis provides for the transformation of absolute values into unit fractions. It ensures the equivalence of the contribution of each of the features used in the assessment of the vitality of individuals and populations as a whole. Results: The article presents a basic algorithm for vitality analysis of plant populations. It also shows the algorithm for vitality analysis considering some biological and ecological characters of the studied species, which may be used in special and relatively rare cases. Some examples of analyses with a well-defined primary strategy ‒ competitors (C-type) or explerents (R-type) have been presented in the article. To calculate the morphoparameters of plant individuals and populations, the most convenient is the statistical package “Statistics”, which provides for the possibility of calculation automation via the command line. The division of populations into three types according to vitality is of general nature. The method of assessing the population vitality is inherently comparative, and this feature is considered to be its advantage. Conclusion: Vitality analysis is useful in assessing the populations of rare plant species, meadow grasses, chemical contamination on the population of plants, identifying any changes in the status populations of forest herbs in the change of forest growth conditions, as well as a number of species of forest-forming tree species. The proposed variants of the algorithm to calculate the vitality of plant species and local populations are characterized by the high biological informative value and flexibility. The incorporated information on the vitality structure of populations in quantitative PVA models to predict their dynamics will significantly increase the reliability of forecasts regarding the prospects for the existence of phytopopulations of species in various plant communities.

The Integral Index of Business Activity: Methods of Constructing

The article deals with the formation and use of the business activity index for the analysis, forecasting and regulation of the development of the Russian economy. The possibilities of forming the Business Activity Index of the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences by basic spheres of the economy (Index of the Institute of Economics RAS) are analyzed and its advantages are substantiated in comparison with the Index of Output of Goods and Services by the basic types of economic activities of Rosstat (Rosstat Index). The analysis of the dynamics of the IE RAS Index and the Rosstat Index after the socio-economic crisis of 2014–2015 until the second half of 2021, including the period of the coronavirus pandemic, has been carried out. A list of macroeconomic indicators characterizing the level of business activity in the spheres of the national economy included in the IE RAS Index is presented. Analysis and comparison of the dynamics of the IE RAS and Rosstat indices showed that the main advantages of the IE RAS Index lie in a more accurate determination of the timing of the onset and overcoming of crisis processes, as well as the depth of their impact on socio-economic development. Particular attention is paid to the analysis and comparison of the dynamics of business activity in the post-crisis and pandemic periods. It was found that the maximum drop in business activity, caused largely by restrictive measures in connection with the coronavirus pandemic, was observed in 2020. It is noted that the maximum growth in business activity for the period under review fell on the first half of 2021. This growth is confirmed by the dynamics of business activity indices according to the methodology of the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Rosstat. The paper concludes that the IE RAS Index provides a more accurate integral assessment of the macroeconomic dynamics of business activity; it is proposed to widely use it in state accounting and management, forecasting and strategic planning.

Remote employment in the corona-crisis period: the extent of spread and effectiveness of introduction

Basing on the materials of the representative surveys held by RANEPA in 2020 and 2021, it has been shown how wide-spread and effective is the distance form of employment in Russia. Before the epidemiological crisis distance employment was characteristic of a very limited segment of the labor market and was mostly concentrated in groups of relatively high-income employees in the sphere of services and informational technologies. Along with actualization of the coronavirus threat and activation of the measures taken to prevent its spread, the labor market underwent significant changes in 2020, and more than 20% of the employed were forced to switch to distance employment. The transition to distance employment turned out to be very traumatic in terms of work efficiency and psychological comfort. The developed typology shows that positive perception is likely only for 16% of respondents and more than a half are found in the zone of negative integral assessment. Representatives of the youngest cohorts and metropolis dwellers showed the highest level of adaptivity: they expressed the highest positive assessments of the shift to the remote format. The spread of remote employment enhanced the use of informational technologies, particularly, the means of distance visual interaction for solving working tasks. On the whole, such a mass switch to remote employment has turned out to be effective as a temporary measure that will allow smoothing out the negative outcomes of the pandemic. It may be assumed that in the medium term there will be optimization of management efforts when introducing remote work of some employees, and segmental development of mixed employment forms based on the effective balance of employees' and employers' interests.

Effective strategies to manage the teacher intellectual work productivity in distance learning

The article aims to empirically determine the effective strategies to manage intellectual work (IW) productivity (IWP) in distance learning (DL), for example, university teachers in Georgia. Based on the expert assessment methods, determining indicators for assessing the level of Teacher Intellectual Work Productivity (TIWP) of three large universities in Georgia and its current level was analyzed using the method of integral assessment. Using the ANOVA method, determined the main factors influencing the TIWP at DL. We use the decision tree to systematize the factors of influence to TIWP and substantiate effective management strategies, taking into account teachers' qualifications, age category, and competencies to ensure the continuity and quality of DL. The results allow flexibility in managing the TIWP in the DL conditions and determining the most effective management strategies, taking into account the characteristics of teachers and the current level of development of the TIWP.

Neuropeptide Y and Asthma Clinical Course

Background: The spectrum of clinical manifestations and pathogenetic mechanisms of bronchial asthma (BA) is very wide. Given the complex pathogenesis and syndromic nature of BA, it is not surprising that there is no single universal biomarker. The objective of this study was to evaluate levels of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and its association with levels of leptin, adiponectin, oxidative damage, antioxidant status, spirometry parameters, and asthma control in BA patients. Methods and Results: Overall, 140 patients [35(25%) men and 105(75%) women; mean age of 57.0±9.34 years] with moderate asthma participated in the study. According to body mass index, all patients were divided into three groups. The asthma diagnosis was based on the integral assessment of symptoms, medical history, health status, and spirometry values according to the Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention. (GINA, 2017 REPORT). The Asthma Control Test (АСТ) was used to assess asthma control. NPY was measured in blood serum in EIA. The NPY level was significantly higher in overweight patients and patients with obesity than in patients with normal body weight. The NPY level significantly correlated with leptin (r=0.44; P<0.05), adiponectin (r=-0.24; P<0.05), ImanOx (r=-0.40; P<0.05), PerOx (r=0.58; P<0.05), ACT (r=-0.41; P<0.05), VC (r=-0.31; P<0.05), FEV1 (r=-0.41; P<0.05), FEF25% (r=-0.26; P<0.05), FVC (r=-0.23; P<0.05), Tiffno index (r=-0.36; P<0.05), FEF50% (r=-0.22; P<0.05), and PEF (r=-0.23; P<0.05) Conclusion: The severity of the asthma clinical course is associated with different factors, including oxidative stress, levels of leptin, adiponectin and NPY. NPY seems to be associated with worse asthma control and higher levels of leptin and oxidative damage.

Modeling the Business Environment of an Energy Holding in the Formation of a Financial Strategy

This article consists of the development of a set of methodological provisions concerning the identification of the features of the influence of the business environment on the effectiveness of the implementation of the company’s financial strategy and the development of a system for its adaptation to the conditions of a dynamic external environment. The purpose of this article is to build an economic and mathematical model to identify the main elements of the business environment that affect the company’s strategy, the formation of methods for evaluating the effectiveness of the implementation of a financial strategy taking into account such influence. The author’s contribution consists in the development of an effective financial algorithmic strategy of the energy holding, considering the influence of the environmental factors. Hypothesis: the use of mathematical models of the business environment will increase the efficiency of energy holding management in the field of finance and investments. The scientific novelty of this article lies in the development of an algorithm that allows for obtaining an integral assessment of the impact of external and internal factors of the energy holding’s business environment on its financial strategy using taxonomy methods, multidimensional statistical analysis and cluster and discriminant models. Results: the authors have developed a model of the influence of the energy holding’s business space, which allows improving the interaction of financial flows within the holding and obtaining an optimal distribution of financial resources, taking into consideration the dynamic factors of the company’s external environment.

Method for assessing testing difficulty in educational sphere

The problem of testing in education is relevant for many countries. Testing solves three problems. The first task is to assess the quality of current training. The second task is to conduct a comparative analysis of learning outcomes. The third task is the management of the educational process in a particular educational institution and in the education sector. This determines the relevance of testing and the relevance of developing new methods for assessing test results. The article proposes a new method for assessing test results for different situations: “teacher– student”, computer test, virtual testing model, test on a mixed reality model and others. To solve the problem, a special quasi-sigmoidal function is introduced. It is analogous to the logistic function, but takes into account the peculiarities of real testing of students. The logistic function ranges from minus infinity to plus infinity. There are no negative assessments in education. The introduced function lies only in the positive range of the argument. It describes actual positive scores when testing students. The authors called this function the complexity function. With its help, the complexity of the subject is assessed according to the test results. To substantiate the method, the function of the logarithms of the odds, logistic regression and the resulting Rush method are investigated. The article notes two shortcomings of the Rush method. The testing principle has been defined for the new function, which is used to estimate complexity. The article introduces two new concepts: the test difficulty function and the integral test score. Integral assessment of testing is a smooth function and makes it possible to go from a stepwise dependence to a continuous one. The cumulative test score translates the point test results into a continuous function and creates a correlation between the scores. The results of an experiment with the participation of RTU MIREA students are presented. The experimental results are analyzed. The possibility of using the method in educational processes is shown. The method is an alternative to the Rush method.

The Impact of the Capture of Leaders of Criminal Organizations on the Labor Market: Evidence from Mexico

This paper estimates the impact of the capture of leaders of criminal organizations on the labor market in municipalities where these organizations operated between 2004 and 2006. The difference-in-difference analysis compares different employment outcomes in cartel locations and the rest, before and after the capture of cartel leaders. The results show that captures caused a decrease in nominal wages and paid employment in cartel municipalities. Using Economic Census Data, I find that captures also caused a fall in the number of establishments and had a negative impact on other establishment outcomes. This document focuses exclusively on the impact of the capture of leaders of criminal organizations on the labor market until 2011 without studying other possible consequences, and thus does not make an integral assessment of this policy

Comparative analysis of methods for assessing the safety of Dunaliella salina Teodoresco and Chlorococcum dissectum Korshikov (Chlorophyta) microalgae cultures after exposure to stress factors

The possibility of using various methods for determining the viability of cultures of microalgae Dunaliella salina and Chlorococcum dissectum before and after freezing-warming was investigated and analyzed. It has been established that the selection of an effective method should be carried out individually for each culture. For an integral assessment of the proliferative and metabolic activity of cells of both species of the studied microalgae, Alamar Blue-test and the ability to grow on liquid nutrient media can be used. The use of the Koch plate method, MTT-test and TTC staining is possible only for the microalga C. dissectum. Vital staining with trypan blue was found to be incorrect.