Current State Of Science Research Articles

Nanodiamond Nano-Reinforcements in Thermoplastic (Polyamide, Polyimide, Polystyrene) Nanocomposites—Essential Characteristics and Technicalities

Nanodiamonds are unique spherical carbon nano-entities having the advantages of very high surface area and high optical, thermal, wear and strength characteristics. Like other carbonaceous nanoparticles (like fullerene, graphene or carbon nanotube), nanodiamond nano-reinforcements have been investigated for the significant types of polymeric matrices (such as thermosets, thermoplastics, rubbers) nanocomposites. Consequently, this overview was planned to systematically describe the current scientific status of the nanodiamonds reinforced thermoplastic nanomaterials. In this regard, polyamide/nanodiamonds, polyimide/nanodiamonds and polystyrene/nanodiamonds nanocomposites have been fabricated using the facile solution, in-situ and melt mixing techniques. We suggest that including nanodiamonds in polyamides and polyimides increased their engineering characteristics, like mechanical properties and thermal stability, of the resulting nanocomposites due to a distinct interface formation and their compatibilization effects toward these matrices. Correspondingly, including nanodiamonds in polystyrene has been observed to increase the intrinsically low strength/toughness features of this polymer. Predominantly, nano-reinforcement and miscibility effects of the nanodiamonds with the polystyrene and their mutual matrix-nanofiller synergies were responsible to improve the overall microstructural and physical properties of the resulting nanocomposites. As per our analysis, the research reports so far on the important categories of the nanodiamonds reinforced thermoplastic matrix nanocomposites have shown important technical applications in the fields of high-tech coatings, membranes and energy devices.

Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for existential distress: practical considerations for therapeutic application-a review.

Existential distress is commonly experienced by patients diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. This condition has been shown to adversely impact quality of life and is correlated with increased suicidal ideation and requests for hastened death. While palliative care teams are experienced in treating depression and anxiety, existential distress is a distinct clinical condition for which traditional medications and psychotherapy approaches demonstrate limited efficacy or duration of effect. Psychedelic drugs, including psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), in conjunction with psychotherapy have been shown to produce rapid and sustained reductions in existential and psychiatric distress and may be a promising treatment for patients facing existential distress in palliative care settings. In this narrative review article, we describe the history of psychedelic medicine including early studies and the modern wave of research over the past 20 years, which includes high quality clinical trial data. This review outlines specific considerations for therapeutic application of psilocybin including pharmacokinetics, patient selection, dosing, protocol designs, and safeguards to reduce potential adverse effects to help guide future psychedelic practitioners. With growing public interest and evolving state level policy reforms allowing access to psychedelic treatments, it is critical for palliative care providers to gain familiarity with the current state of science and the potential of psilocybin assisted psychotherapy in the treatment of existential distress.

Original Sin, Monogenesis and Human Origins

This paper focuses on the arguments presented by Kenneth W. Kemp in his two articles proposing a form of reconciliation between the evolutionary concept of human origins and polygenism. At the beginning, it is explained that Kemp’s understanding of the relationship between science and faith strays from what Augustine (whom Kemp claims to follow) teaches. Then the current state of science is scrutinized with the conclusion that current scientific evidence does not exclude the belief in the traditional form of monogenism. After presenting Kemp’s solution to the alleged conflict between science and Catholic dogma it is shown that Kemp’s solution is based on some confusion in terms and it also encounters several metaphysical and biological difficulties.

CaReL Guideline: A Consensus-Based Guideline on Case Reports and Literature Review (CaReL)

Introduction Clinical case reports enrich medical literature by presenting rare medical issues. However, case reports that do not adhere to a standard template often lack rigor and limit their usefulness in clinical guidance. Several guidelines for reporting case reports have been structured, while further improvements are still required. The current guideline (CaReL) aims to enhance the comprehensiveness of case reports by integrating a detailed literature review. Methods In total, 56 researchers were selected based on specific publication criteria for structuring the guidelines. The guideline development was based on a two-step consensus process, including a literature review and survey distribution. Responses underwent scrutiny to ensure reliability and validity. Content validity was assessed, with revisions made to achieve a content validity index exceeding 0.78. The guideline's feasibility and effectiveness were evaluated by pilot testing, with feedback incorporated for finalization, ensuring the robustness and practicality of the guideline. Results The CaReL guidelines can improve the quality of case reports through a comprehensive checklist with an increased emphasis on literature review. In addition to traditional sections with their subsections discussed in previous guidelines, the checklist also focuses on literature review in the abstract and discussion. Conclusion The CaReL guidelines offer a comprehensive structure for documenting case reports. They highlight the importance of incorporating a literature review to better introduce medical issues to readers and scholars and embedding reported cases into the current scientific state of the art. Implementing these guidelines can promote knowledge sharing and improve patient care

Smartphone applications are used for self-management, telerehabilitation, evaluation and data collection in low back pain healthcare: a scoping review

Background Smartphone use has grown in providing healthcare for patients with low back pain (LBP), but the literature lacks an analysis of the use of smartphone apps. This scoping review aimed to identify current areas of smartphone apps use for managing LBP. We also aimed to evaluate the current status of the effectiveness or scientific validity of such use and determine perspectives for their potential development. Methods We searched PubMed, PEDro and Embase for articles published in English up to May 3rd, 2021 that investigated smartphone use for LBP healthcare and their purpose. All types of study design were accepted. Studies concerning telemedicine or telerehabilitation but without use of a smartphone were not included. The same search strategy was performed by two researchers independently and a third researcher validated the synthesis of the included studies. Results We included 43 articles: randomised controlled trials (RCTs) (n=12), study protocols (n=6), reliability/validity studies (n=6), systematic reviews (n=7), cohort studies (n=4), qualitative studies (n=6), and case series (n=1). The purposes of the smartphone app were for 1) evaluation, 2) telerehabilitation, 3) self-management, and 4) data collection. Self-management was the most-studied use, showing promising results derived from moderate- to good-quality RCTs for patients with chronic LBP and patients after spinal surgery. Promising results exist regarding evaluation and data collection use and contradictory results regarding measurement use. Conclusions This scoping review revealed a notable interest in the scientific literatures regarding the use of smartphone apps for LBP patients. The identified purposes point to current scientific status and perspectives for further studies including RCTs and systematic reviews targeting specific usage.

Is Life Binary or Gradual?

The binary nature of life is deeply ingrained in daily experiences, evident in the stark distinctions between life and death and the living and the inert. While this binary perspective aligns with disciplines like medicine and much of biology, uncertainties emerge in fields such as microbiology, virology, synthetic biology, and systems chemistry, where intermediate entities challenge straightforward classification as living or non-living. This contribution explores the motivations behind both binary and non-binary conceptualizations of life. Despite the perceived necessity to unequivocally define life, especially in the context of origin of life research and astrobiology, mounting evidence indicates a gray area between what is intuitively clearly alive and what is distinctly not alive. This prompts consideration of a gradualist perspective, depicting life as a spectrum with varying degrees of "lifeness". Given the current state of science, the existence or not of a definite threshold remains open. Nevertheless, shifts in epistemic granularity and epistemic perspective influence the framing of the question, and scientific advancements narrow down possible answers: if a threshold exists, it can only be at a finer level than what is intuitively taken as living or non-living. This underscores the need for a more refined distinction between the inanimate and the living.

Treatment of Myelodysplastic Syndromes for Older Patients: Current State of Science, Challenges, and Opportunities.

Myelodysplastic syndromes/neoplasms (MDS) represent a diverse group of pathologically distinct diseases with varying prognoses and risks of leukemia progression. This review aims to discuss current treatment options for elderly patients with MDS, focusing on patients ineligible for intensive chemotherapy or allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The challenges associated with treatment in this population and emerging therapeutic prospects are also explored. Recent advancements in molecular diagnostics have enhanced risk stratification by incorporating genetic mutations, notably through the molecular International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-M). Lower-risk MDS (LR-MDS) treatment ranges from observation to supportive measures and erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), with emerging therapies like luspatercept showing promise. High-risk MDS (HR-MDS) is treated with hypomethylating agents (HMAs) or allogenic HSCT, but outcomes remain poor. Elderly MDS patients, often diagnosed after 70, pose challenges in treatment decision-making. The IPSS-M aids risk stratification, guiding therapeutic choices. For LR-MDS, supportive care, ESAs, and novel agents like luspatercept are considered. Treatment of HR-MDS involves HMAs or allogenic HSCT. Emerging treatments, including oral HMAs and novel agents targeting FLT3, and IDH 1/2 mutations, show promise. Future research should refine treatment strategies for this elderly population focusing on quality-of-life improvement.

Sztuczna inteligencja vs prawo autorskie – pytanie o finał starcia. Futurologia, a może to już jutro?

This research paper concerns the copyright-law consequences of generating literary and artistic creations resulting from the “creative activity” of artificial intelligence (AI). The essence of the problem that rapidly gains practical significance boils down to the question whether, at present (de lege lata) and in the future (de lege ferenda), such creations can be protected under copyright law and who should possibly be considered to be the author. The legal-dogmatic analysis of the normative matter, the current state of science and the case law in force applicable here, shows that under the current legislation the creations generated by AI do not fall within the definition of creative work and do not form the subject of copyright as they were not created by human being. Therefore, the AI may not be considered to be the author and thus endowed with a copyright and even more a moral right to the work. In the de lege ferenda perspective, the proposals to cover AI-generated assets by protection outside the copyright law area, e.g. through related rights or the institution of work made for hire, are not fully convincing for axiological reasons, i.e. the difficulty of identifying a person who deserves to benefit from such protection. Nor can the proposal to grant subjective rights to AI itself be supported, since this would mean changing the axiom of the copyright law, namely that only a human being can be the author. If copyright is to survive as a right of a human creator, which should be advocated, then in the light of this regulation the literary and artistic creations generated by AI should remain in the public domain.

Relevance of monitoring residual stresses and the need to reduce them

The objective of the study is to show the significant impact of taking into account the actual values of residual stresses on the strength and resource of safe operation of nuclear power facilities. Generally accepted approaches of strength physics and fracture mechanics were used to determine strength and service life. The degree of influence of residual stresses on the strength and service life of pipeline elements in the case of a cyclically acting load, under static load, when there is a danger of brittle fracture, and in the case of corrosion is investigated. The objects of the study were pipelines of nuclear power plants. It is noted that the current state of science and technology has made it possible to create a technique for non-destructive testing of mechanical stresses acting in metal structures based on the use of the acoustoelasticity method. Currently, on the basis of this method, a method for measuring residual welding and installation stresses in pipelines has been developed and certified for use in the field of atomic energy use. The measurement technique provides for the determination of membrane and bending stresses in annular sections located on rectilinear sections of pipelines. The values of stresses in the structural elements of pipelines and residual welding stresses in the deposited metal of welded joints are determined using ratios based on the use of the balancing principle. The relevance of introducing into the procedure for monitoring the technical condition of pipelines and equipment of nuclear power plants the procedure for determining the actual level of residual stresses, which significantly increases the reliability of the assessment of their strength and service life, is shown. It is proved that in order to implement the procedure for determining the actual level of residual stresses, it is necessary to use a non-destructive testing system for residual welding and installation stresses using the acoustoelasticity method based on a measurement technique that allows determining the actual values of residual stresses with established error characteristics.

Regulatory Science Perspective on the Analysis of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Human Food.

Microplastics are increasingly reported, not only in the environment but also in a wide range of food commodities. While studies on microplastics in food abound, the current state of science is limited in its application to regulatory risk assessment by a continued lack of standardized definitions, reference materials, sample collection and preparation procedures, fit-for purpose analytical methods for real-world and environmentally relevant plastic mixtures, and appropriate quality controls. This is particularly the case for nanoplastics. These methodological challenges hinder robust, quantitative exposure assessments of microplastic and nanoplastic mixtures from food consumption. Furthermore, limited toxicological studies on whether microplastics and nanoplastics adversely impact human health are also impeded by methodology challenges. Food safety regulatory agencies must consider both the exposure and the risk of contaminants of emerging concern to ascertain potential harm. Foundational to this effort is access to and application of analytical methods with the capability to quantify and characterize micro- and nanoscale sized polymers in complex food matrices. However, the early stages of method development and application of early stage methods to study the distribution and potential health effects of microplastics and nanoplastics in food have largely been done without consideration of the stringent requirements of methods to inform regulatory activities. We provide regulatory science perspectives on the state of knowledge regarding the occurrence of microplastics and nanoplastics in food and present our general approach for developing, validating, and implementing analytical methods for regulatory purposes.

Acquisition, status and transfer of knowledge in compression therapy : Cross-sectional study in healthcare professions using phlebological compression therapy

Due to scientific progress, healthcare professionals should regularly undergo appropriate continuing education. For this, knowledge transfer is essential. Therefore, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the acquisition, status and transfer of knowledge of professional groups applying phlebological compression therapy in Germany. Healthcare professionals (physicians, nurses and medical assistants) received aquestionnaire developed for this study, which queried different aspects of acquisition, status and transfer of knowledge. Responses from 522 participants were analysed. The topic of compression therapy was not taught in the nursing or medical education of 43.3%. Specialist journals that address compression therapy were read regularly (at least 6times/year) by 16.1% of the participants; 63.0% had no specialist books on this subject. Only 6.7% were aware of AWMF ("Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wissenschaftlichen Medizinischen Fachgesellschaften") guidelines on the topic and 16.3% of the corresponding DNQP ("Deutsches Netzwerk für Qualitätsentwicklung in der Pflege") expert standard. In all, 41.2% participated in at least one internal training on compression therapy per year, 72.0% in external training and 19.2% in online training. Atotal of 30.7% stated that they did not use any information sources to acquire knowledge. Possible sources of knowledge about compression therapy in Germany are insufficiently known within the investigated healthcare professional groups studied or are not regularly used. The result is aconsiderable knowledge deficit with adiscrepancy between the current state of science and practice.

СУЧАСНІ ТЕХНОЛОГІЇ ЯК ІНСТРУМЕНТ ПІДВИЩЕННЯ ЕФЕКТИВНОСТІ ЕКОЛОГІЧНОЇ МОДЕРНІЗАЦІЇ ВИРОБНИЦТВА ЦЕМЕНТУ

The current state of science and progress does not yet allow for a radical reduction in environmental damage from cement production, as the technological process involves the release of large amounts of carbon dioxide during clinker baking, and the generation of significant amounts of dust due to the need to grind raw materials and clinker itself. By its very nature, cement production is one of the most resource- and energy-intensive industries. The article highlights the current level of environmental impact caused by cement production and outlines the prospects for limiting the negative impact in the future. Priority tasks for the industry should include rationalization of resource use, optimization of technological processes related to clinker firing, and the search for modern energy sources that can be integrated into the production system. In addition to measures related to changes in the production process, cement itself needs to be transformed. The key goal of cement improvement is to achieve a reduction in the average clinker share and product composition.Taking into account the main sources of carbon dioxide emissions, the ways of greening the cement production process are proposed, taking into account the best international practices. The proposed ways to increase the efficiency of environmental modernization of cement production by business entities include the following: reducing energy consumption, replacing traditional fuels with alternative ones, reducing the level of clinker factor in cement, and using carbon capture technology. The experience of implementing the described technologies at industrial enterprises of Ukraine is presented. The article emphasizes that the most important thing in conducting an EIA is the complexity and rationality of the chosen approaches, since the transformation of cement production takes place in different planes: technological, legal, and managerial. That is, the optimization of production technology should be accompanied by the establishment of an effective production control system, development of an effective management approach for the implementation and introduction of an innovation management system.

НАУКА И ОБРАЗОВАНИЕ КАК ОБЪЕКТ СОЦИАЛЬНОЙ ОТВЕТСТВЕННОСТИ ГОСУДАРСТВА

The article examines the problem of the state’s social responsibility regarding the development of science and education in the country. University models are analyzed, as well as conceptual approaches to assessing the role and significance of modern education and science in various countries, including the Russian Federation. The current state of science is reflected, the dynamics of spending on scientific research in Russia is analyzed and an assessment of their levels in developed countries of the world is given. Problems and contradictions in the development of science and education in Russian society are formulated. The modern concept of state educational policy, which is being actively introduced into the scientific and educational practice of Russia provides a critical analysis. The authors come to the conclusion about the necessity to intensify the state’s stimulating policy in the field of science and education.

Primary vaccination against equine influenza in foals: when, how and with what? – Overview of the current scientific status

Primary vaccination against equine influenza in foals: when, how and with what? – Overview of the current scientific status

Syntheses and polymerization of monoterpene-based (meth)acrylates: IBO(M)A as a relevant monomer for industrial applications

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the current scientific status of monomer and polymer synthesis, as well as the areas of application for (meth)acrylates based on monoterpenes, using the industrially available IBOMA as an example.

Avoidance Versus Elimination. How Can We Harm Less? How Can We Do Rather Good?

The present article focuses on hereditary genetic disorders which is specified and evaluated through comparative analysis. This comparison extends on highlighting a fewfactors in connection with avoidance through IVF embryo selection procedure and elimination, removal through germline gene editing. Focusing on the later listed factors the author introduces a new perspective of moral evaluation of the mentioned procedures. With the explanation of the dilemma, according to showing the factors and with the analysis of their effects the paper concludes that it is conceivable based on the factors discussed here that avoiding the appearance of genetic disease through IVF embryo selection is morally moreacceptable, given the current state of science and technology, than the direct modification, intervention into the germline.

Fostering Animal Welfare and Advancing 3Rs Principles through the Establishment of a 3Rs Advisory Group.

Based on the current state of science, the use of animals remains essential in bringing safe and effective medicines to patients. Respect for laboratory animal welfare and the application of 3Rs principles (the replacement, reduction, and refinement of animal use in research) are a priority throughout the pharmaceutical industry. Given the rapid pace of development, technological progress, and the emergence of new-approach methodologies (NAMs) in the field of biomedical research, maintaining a leading position in scientific advancements with a focus on the principles of replace, reduce, and refine (3Rs) can be quite challenging. To effectively address these challenges and sustain a prominent position in the scientific community, organizations can derive significant advantages from establishing an internal 3Rs advisory group (3Rs AG). The primary objective of a 3Rs AG is to stay at the forefront of the knowledge of best practices related to the 3Rs principles in the industry. This group plays a crucial role in fostering innovation and facilitating the seamless integration and implementation of 3Rs principles into a company's policies and procedures. The thoughtful reduction in and replacement of animal studies and the refinement of study designs and practices, enabled by a 3Rs AG, can minimize animal use as well as guide resources and positively impact study and data quality. This article provides guidance on how to establish a successful and impactful 3Rs AG.

Digitalising mental health care: Practical recommendations from the European Psychiatric Association.

The digitalisation of mental health care is expected to improve the accessibility and quality of specialised treatment services and introduce innovative methods to study, assess, and monitor mental health disorders. In this narrative review and practical recommendation of the European Psychiatric Association (EPA), we aim to help healthcare providers and policymakers to navigate this rapidly evolving field. We provide an overview of the current scientific and implementation status across two major domains of digitalisation: i) digital mental health interventions and ii) digital phenotyping, discuss the potential of each domain to improve the accessibility and outcomes of mental health services, and highlight current challenges faced by researchers, clinicians, and service users. Furthermore, we make several recommendations meant to foster the widespread adoption of evidence-based digital solutions for mental health care in the member states of the EPA. To realise the vision of a digitalised, patient-centred, and data-driven mental health ecosystem, a number of implementation challenges must be considered and addressed, spanning from human, technical, ethical-legal, and economic barriers. The list of priority areas and action points our expert panel has identified could serve as a playbook for this process.

Long-/Post-Covid-Syndrom: Studienergebnisse zur therapeutischen Erfahrung von Osteopath*innen in Deutschland

The corona pandemic had a massive impact on the health of billions of people worldwide and often affects patients even after the acute phase has subsided as long-/post-covid syndrome (LPCS). The aim of this survey study was to present the experiences of skilled osteopaths in the treatment of patients with LPCS in Germany and to compare the results with the current state of science. The study was conducted in spring 2022 as an online questionnaire. A total of 29 questions with open and closed as well as demographic, qualitative and quantitative character were used. 273 people took part in the study. There were 41 drop-outs, thus 232 data sets were evaluated. 188 people completed the entire study, 44 people have discontinued the survey in the meantime.The results of this survey study correlate with the scientific knowledge about LPCS. Individually different therapies adapted to the abilities, symptoms and pathologies of the patients seem to be particularly promising in LPCS. However, the participants‘ statements cannot be verified beyond doubt, so that the results are only used in a limited way and should be verified by randomised controlled trials with individual techniques selected according to the patients‘ needs.

Application of recurrent analysis to classify realizations of encephalograms

The current state of science and technology is characterized by a variety of methods and approaches to solving various tasks, including in the fields of time series analysis and computer vision. This abstract explores a novel approach to the classification of time series based on the analysis of brain activity using recurrent diagrams and deep neural networks. The work begins with an overview of recent achievements in the field of time series analysis and the application of machine learning methods. The importance of time series classification in various domains, including medicine, finance, technology, and others, is em-phasized. Next, the methodology is described, in which time series are transformed into gray-scale images using recurrent diagrams. The key idea is to use recurrent diagrams to visualize the structure of time series and identify their nonlinear properties. This transformed informa-tion serves as input data for deep neural networks. An important aspect of the work is the selection of deep neural networks as classifiers for the obtained images. Specifically, residual neural networks are applied, known for their ability to effectively learn and classify large volumes of data. The structure of such networks and their advantages over other architectures are discussed. The experimental part of the work describes the use of a dataset of brain activity, which includes realizations from different states of a person, including epileptic seizures. The ob-tained visualization and classification methods are applied for binary classification of EEG realizations, where the class of epileptic seizure is compared with the rest. The main evalua-tion metrics for classification are accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score. The experimental results demonstrate high classification accuracy even for short EEG realizations. The quality metrics of classification indicate the potential effectiveness of this method for automated di-agnosis of epileptic seizures based on the analysis of brain signals. The conclusions highlight the importance of the proposed approach and its potential usefulness in various domains where time series classification based on the analysis of brain activity and recurrent diagrams is required.