The article deals with the psychological and sociocultural aspects of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) teaching and learning at the military academies in Ukraine. Considering the high-risk environment, the cadets will serve in after commission, it offers ways of using emotional means to facilitate the ESP learning as well as to keep up their motivation and will in order to develop appropriate abilities to perform professional functions in such hard conditions. The article proposes a range of exercises and activities at each ESP lesson stage (Introduction, Presentation, Practice, Application, Verification, and Conclusion) and develops the strategies contributing to cadets' learning motivation. The article also provides activities and actions for the teachers, which will help them to properly organize and conduct ESP courses for the military developing cadets as 'secondary communicative personalities' based on the military culture of the English-speaking countries. Both the psychological and sociocultural aspects of ESP teaching and learning are analyzed with the aim of improving cadets' professional training.

BackgroundThe long-term use of antifungal therapy in denture stomatitis (DS) treatment could be accompanied by antifungal-resistant strain onset, leading to compromised therapeutic procedure and disease reappearance. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has shown the ability to eradicate oral infections and resistance strains. This prospective clinical study aimed to assess the PDT's effectiveness compared to the conventional treatment on clinical and microbiological parameters in patients with DS without denture wear during the treatment and follow-ups. MethodsForty-two patients diagnosed with DS were randomly assigned to one-session single PDT application (test group) or conventional antifungal therapy (control group). Clinical and microbiological parameters were assessed and analyzed before and at 3rd, 15th, and 30th day following the treatments. Microbiological samples were analyzed by a Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The data was statistically analyzed. ResultsPrior to the treatment, Candida species, including C. albicans (100%), C. glabrata (33%), C. tropicalis (31%), C. krusei (31%) were isolated in all patients. Both treatment procedures demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in C. albicans at all follow-up time intervals (p < 0.05). However, PDT displayed a statistically significant reduction in C. krusei compared to the conventional treatment at all follow-up periods (p < 0.05). Clinical parameters improved considerably in the test group compared to the control group at the 3rd and 15th day of follow-up. ConclusionOne-session single PDT application demonstrated significant improvement in both clinical and microbiological outcomes in a short-term period, resulting in complete Candida spp. eradication compared to conventional antifungal therapy.

Abstract Hybrid threats undermine societies and foster unrest. Russia’s brutal and unjustified war against Ukraine has changed Moldova’s geopolitical situation. As President Maia Sandu states “using the full range of hybrid threats - including false bomb threats, cyber-attacks, disinformation, calls for social unrest and open corruption – Russia has sought to destabilize the government, erode our democracy and jeopardize Moldova’s contribution to the security of Europe as a whole”. Through consultants, money transfers, and fostering corruption, Russia is interfering in Moldova’s political landscape. However, the international community is highly concerned and supports the Republic of Moldova through a wide range of measures and instruments. The goal of this article is to highlight the main hybrid actions, their impact on Moldovan society, and the state authority’s response in responding to these hybrid threats. Consequently, this article emphasizes the difficulty of ensuring political sustainability amid an intense hybrid warfare.

Существуют различные подходы к задаче определения траектории, оптимальной с точки зрения стоимости строительства. Такие проблемы на практике обычно решаются с помощью эвристических процедур. Для получения теоретически обоснованного результата можно при некоторых предположениях вывести интегральный функционал стоимости и воспользоваться вариационными принципами. Таким образом, получается классическая задача вариационного исчисления. Необходимое условие минимума такого функционала получается в виде интегро-дифференциального уравнения. В данной работе описывается численный метод решения указанного уравнения, основанный на известном и детально изученном в литературе методе пристрелки. При дополнительных предположениях с помощью принципа неподвижной точки Шаудера доказано существование решения. Исследован вопрос единственности решения. Приведен численный пример.

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; This article is a part of a research endeavor focused on creating a quantum-resistant cryptosystem for secure encryption and decryption. Our approach employs a challenging word problem while emphasizing cost-effective implementation. Previous research has involved the development of encryption schemes based on high-order groups, offering potential security enhancements. The choice of the non-abelian group is a critical factor in shaping the encryption algorithms, feasibility of implementation, and system parameters. Our central objective is to design a cryptosystem that effectively thwarts quantum cryptanalysis. To achieve this, we employ a logarithmic signature along with a random cover across an entire finite non-abelian group. Our unique contribution lies in optimizing finite group selection, parameters, and circuit solutions for the logarithmic signature to meet specific security and implementation criteria. Within this paper, we introduce an encryption scheme utilizing automorphisms of the Ree functional field and propose a method for enhancing resistance to cryptanalysis through the binding of session keys.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

To analyse how the potential exposure to air pollutants can influence the key components at the time of diagnosis of Sjögren's phenotype (epidemiological profile, sicca symptoms, and systemic disease). For the present study, the following variables were selected for harmonization and refinement: age, sex, country, fulfilment of 2002/2016 criteria items, dry eyes, dry mouth, and overall ESSDAI score. Air pollution indexes per country were defined according to the OECD (1990-2021), including emission data of nitrogen and sulphur oxides (NO/SO), particulate matter (PM2.5 and 1.0), carbon monoxide (CO) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) calculated per unit of GDP, Kg per 1000 USD. The results of the chi-square tests of independence for each air pollutant with the frequency of dry eyes at diagnosis showed that, except for one, all variables exhibited p-values <0.0001. The most pronounced disparities emerged in the dry eye prevalence among individuals inhabiting countries with the highest NO/SO exposure, a surge of 4.61 percentage points compared to other countries, followed by CO (3.59 points), non-methane (3.32 points), PM2.5 (3.30 points), and PM1.0 (1.60 points) exposures. Concerning dry mouth, individuals residing in countries with worse NO/SO exposures exhibited a heightened frequency of dry mouth by 2.05 percentage points (p<0.0001), followed by non-methane exposure (1.21 percentage points increase, p=0.007). Individuals inhabiting countries with the worst NO/SO, CO, and PM2.5 pollution levels had a higher mean global ESSDAI score than those in lower-risk nations (all p-values <0.0001). When systemic disease was stratified according to DAS into low, moderate, and high systemic activity levels, a heightened proportion of individuals manifesting moderate/severe systemic activity was observed in countries with worse exposures to NO/SO, CO, and PM2.5 pollutant levels. For the first time, we suggest that pollution levels could influence how SjD appears at diagnosis in a large international cohort of patients. The most notable relationships were found between symptoms (dryness and general body symptoms) and NO/SO, CO, and PM2.5 levels.

Researchers work hard to embrace technological changes and redefine the quality management as Quality 4.0 (Q 4.0). In this context, the purpose of the current work is twofold. First, it aims to compare the preparedness of the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for sustaining in Q4. Second, it intends to propose a novel hybrid spherical fuzzy based multi-criteria group decision-making (MAGDM) framework with Einstein aggregation (EA). A real-life case study on six SMEs is carried out with the help of three experts. For aggregating the individual responses (using spherical fuzzy numbers or SFNs), EA is used. Then two very recent models such as Simple Ranking Process (SRP) and Symmetry Point of Criterion (SPC) are extended using SFN to rank the SMEs. Finally, the validation tests and sensitivity analysis are carried out. It is noted that the application of analytical tools, knowledge management and use of technology under the support and mentorship of visionary leadership are the key criteria for building up the capability to embrace Q 4.0. Interestingly, it is noted that medium scale firms are better prepared than small-scale enterprises. This work is apparently a first of its kind that focuses on SMEs for assessing their quality management practices in Industry 4.0 era.

This research paper aims to assess the sustainable competitiveness of Balkan countries. Sustainable competitiveness was measured based on the indicators in The Sustainable Competitiveness Report from 2022, published by Solability. According to this report, sustainable competitiveness is evaluated using six grouped criteria. In this paper, the competitiveness of the Balkan countries was assessed through the application of the multicriteria analysis methods Entropy and MARCOS (Measurement Alternatives and Ranking according to the Compromise Solution). The weight of each criterion was determined using the Entropy method. The results highlighted that the most significant criteria were Natural Capital and Resource Efficiency &amp; Intensity, which carried the highest weight, whereas the Social Cohesion criterion was of lesser importance, represented by the lowest weight. Using the MARCOS method, the Balkan countries were ranked, with Greece securing the top position, closely followed by Albania, while North Macedonia exhibited the weakest performance. Sensitivity analysis further substantiated these findings. The outcomes of this study significantly contribute to the academic understanding of sustainable competitiveness and provide valuable practical insights for policymakers and stakeholders interested in advancing sustainable development efforts in the Balkan region.

The lecture is intended to prepare military specialists in the field of nuclear and radiation safety and security for the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, as well as to train officials responsible for organizing and ensuring radiation safety in military units and organizations of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.The lecture addresses two study questions:1) The main external threats in the sphere of radiological safety.2) The main internal threats in the sphere of radiological safety.

Abstract Effective decision-making across various domains of society necessitates the adept use of appropriate methods and software to achieve optimal outcomes. This need becomes especially critical in situations where human lives are in jeopardy, and substantial material damages are at stake. The escalating prevalence of natural disasters worldwide highlights the intrinsic threat they pose to protected values, underscoring the importance of comprehensive risk assessments. The paper explore the implementation of the software DEXi in conjunction with DIBR (Defining Interrelationships Between Ranked criteria) method in a rough environment and Fuzzy LBWA (Level Based Weight Assessment) method. The utilization of the Bonferroni aggregator further enhances the earthquake risk level assessment for protected values in the Republic of Serbia. The Rough DIBR and Fuzzy LBWA methods play a pivotal role in determining the criteria weights, and their values are aggregated with the Bonferroni aggregator. The risk assessment process is conducted using the Decision Support System (DSS) called DEXi. Proposed model undergoes rigorous testing, with authentic data sourced from official Disaster Risk Assessments of three cities and five municipalities in the Republic of Serbia. The validation process firmly establishes the model's credibility, laying a robust foundation for improved earthquake risk assessment practices.