Elements Of System Research Articles

Understanding complex systems through differential causal networks

In the evolving landscape of data science and computational biology, Causal Networks (CNs) have emerged as a robust framework for modelling causal relationships among elements of complex systems derived from experimental data. CNs can efficiently model causal relationships emerging in a single system while comparing multiple systems, allowing to understand rewiring in different cells, tissues, and physiological states with a deeper perspective. Despite the existence of network models, namely differential networks, that have been used to compare coexpression and correlation structures, causality needs to be introduced in differential analysis to robustly provide direction to the edges of such networks, in order to better understand the flows of information, and also to better intervene in their functioning, for example for agricultural or pharmacological purposes. Resolved to reach this ambitious goal, we introduce Differential Causal Networks (DCNs), a novel framework that represents differences between two existing CNs. A DCN is obtained from experimental data by comparing two CNs, and it is a power tool for highlighting differences in causal relations. After a careful definition and design of DCNs, we test our algorithm to model possible differential causal relationships between genes responsible for the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus-related pathologies considering patients’ sex at the tissue level. DCNs allowed us to shed light on causal differences between sexes across nine tissues. We also compare differences among three possible definitions of DCNs to highlight similarities and differences of biological importance. Code, Data and Supplementary Information are available at https://github.com/hguzzi/DifferentialCausalNetworks.

Improving equitable healthcare resource use: developing a neighbourhood district nurse needs index for staffing allocation

BackgroundAllocating healthcare resources to local areas in proportion to need is an important element of many universal health care systems, aiming to provide equal access for equal need. The UK National Health Service allocates resources to relatively large areas in proportion to need, using needs-weighted capitation formulae. However, within those planning areas, local providers and commissioners also require robust methods for allocating resources to neighbourhoods in proportion to need to ensure equitable access. We therefore developed a local resource allocation formula for NHS district nursing services for a City in the North West of England, demonstrating a novel application of the national formulae principles for equitable resource allocation to small areas.MethodsUsing linked data from community health services, primary care, secondary care and social care, we used a zero-inflated Poisson regression to model the number of district nursing services contacts for each individual based on predictors of need, while including the supply of district nurses per head to account for historical supply induced patterns. Individual need was estimated based on the predictions from this model, keeping supply fixed at the average. We then compared the distribution of district nurses between neighbourhoods, based on our formula, to the current service staffing distribution.ResultsKey predictors of need for district nursing services were age, deprivation, chronic diseases such as, cardiovascular disease, chronic liver disease, neurological disease, mental ill health, learning disability living in a nursing home, living alone, and receiving palliative care. Need for district nursing services was highly weighted towards older and more deprived populations. The current distribution of staff was, however, more correlated with age than deprivation. Moving to a needs-based staffing distribution would shift staff from less deprived areas to more deprived areas potentially reducing inequalities.ConclusionA neighbourhood-level model for needs for district nursing is a useful tool that can potentially improve the allocation of resources, addressing unmet need and inequalities.

Spatial Transformation of the Higher Education System: Threats and Challenges to Single-Industry Towns

The article proposes an approach to analyzing the spatial organization of the Russian higher education system. Methodologically, the study relies on the theory of structural functionalism. In order to solve the stated research problems, the authors used comparative historical and economic-statistical analyses, as well as the quick survey method. The study characterizes the specifics of the Russian system of single-industry towns and justifies the role of a single-industry town as an integral and essential element of the settlement system. The study also reveals structural and functional changes inthe Russian system of higher education that significantly limit the possibility of preserving universities and/or their branches in single-industry towns. It was proved that the functions of higher education institutions in a single-industry town are multifaceted, complex in nature, and not limited only to the sphere of education. In spite of this, the higher education system in single-industry towns downsizes at a significantly faster rate than in the country as a whole. The performed analysis shows that the persisting trend toward increasing territorial concentration in the country’s system of higher education can create a set of negative effects that have a disruptive impact on the national settlement system, the continuity of complex value chains, and the social stability of local communities in single-industry towns. A conclusion is made about the need for comprehensive solutions regarding the development of higher education in single-industry towns that combine both national mechanisms for achieving national goals and the toolkits of regional, industrial, educational, and corporate policies.

Structural elements and performance of entrepreneurial management systems at large corporations

The Russian economy is currently lagging behind developed nations in terms of innovation, which necessitates adopting relevant approaches to managing socio-economic systems to keep them competitive and ensure their sustainable develop ment. Large corporations have significant resource potential and social power, which makes it relevant to improve management of their entrepreneurial activity that stimulates innovation development. The paper aims to judge the quality of entrepreneurial management systems at large corporations and evaluate their innovation performance. Corporate governance theory and man agement theory constitute the methodological framework of the study. The research methods used are qualitative, regression and comparative analysis. The empirical data are obtained from 160 corporations included in 2023 RAEX-600 Ranking and rep resenting 21 industrial sectors, as well as data from the RF Federal State Statistics Service and the All-Russia data system on com panies and business “For Honest Business” for the period of 2010–2022. The study identifies 19 elements of the entrepreneurial management system at large corporations, e.g., the presence of an R&D center, startup support, commitment to open innovation, a corporate venture fund, etc., and assesses how intensively they are used across industries. As for the innovation performance of the system under review, no statistical relationship was observed between performance indicators of many corporations and the volume of shipped innovative products. Thus, the research reveals that entrepreneurial management systems at a large number of corporations lack innovation performance, which requires further research into their quality.

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF DOUBLE SKIN FACADES IN WINTER CLIMATES

The presented study reveals the analysis of the thermal behaviour of double skin facades (DSF) in winter conditions, using numerical simulation tools. The aim of the study is the development of a 3D simulation model, capable to evaluate the thermal behaviour of the modular elements in the DSF systems. This is essential requirement in the prediction and visualization of the facade’s thermal behaviour in the design stage and in the assessment of the real behaviour of such facade, when the specified modular elements are changed by the customer. The presented numerical simulation model aims to adequately reproduce the resulting set of thermal characteristics of the modular elements, to determine with sufficient accuracy their distribution in the real objects, implemented inthe models in DSF systems. An algorithm is developed in the study and graphical visualization of three models of double facade systems with and without DSF are analysed under winter conditions, using data from a meteorological station located in North-Eastern Bulgaria. A software product was used to represent the processes of heat and mass transfer, in which the corresponding boundary and initial conditions were set, based on which the results and analyses were obtained. The use of such numerical modelling is effective enough to predict the expected thermal behaviour of DSF systems. Thus, when selecting a DSF facade system, awareness of the thermal behaviour is ensured, and the financial efficiency of the project is more easily determined. Such a customized approach not only improves the sustainability and efficiency of buildings, but also satisfies the unique preferences and requirements of the customers.

Culture, community, and cancer: understandings of breast cancer from a non-lived experience among women living in Soweto

BackgroundIndividual perceptions, socio-cultural beliefs and health system factors are key determinants of people’s health seeking behavior and are widely cited as the causes of delayed breast cancer diagnosis among women from structurally vulnerable settings. Asking: “how do women with a non-lived experience of cancer understand the disease and, what informs their health seeking behaviors?”, we qualitatively explored, individual, sociocultural and health system elements from a conceptual model derived from the Socioecological, Health Belief and Cancer Stigma Frameworks, to understand perspectives of breast cancer in a South African urban community setting.MethodsUsing a deductive approach and allowing new themes to emerge inductively, we investigated phenomenologically, breast cancer perceptions among 34 women from Soweto, Johannesburg (aged 35–74 years) in 6 Focus Group Discussions. We then conducted 20 follow-up semi-structured in-depth interviews to explore novel themes and suggestions for increasing breast cancer screening.ResultsFindings revealed some awareness of breast and other cancers, but confusion and gaps in understanding of the disease, resulting in socio-culturally influenced misperceptions of risks, causes, and outcomes following treatment of breast cancer. This fueled perceptions of profound fear and stigma against people with breast and other cancers. These findings together with participant perceptions of primary healthcare providers being unwelcoming, under-resourced, and insufficiently trained to deal with breast cancer, resulted in women reporting being reluctant to participating in screening/early detection care seeking behavior. Women only accessed primary care when experiencing extreme pain or ill-health. Participants suggested as solutions for future interventions, the need for sustained community engagement, harnessing existing clinic and community stakeholders and resources to provide clear and understandable breast cancer information and encouragement for screening uptake.ConclusionsHealth literacy gaps surrounding breast cancer fuels socio-culturally influenced misperceptions, fear, stigma, and fatalism among women from Soweto. Women perceive primary care providers of having insufficient knowledge, skills, and resources to provide effective breast cancer screening services. Participants suggested the need for greater community engagement involving primary clinics and existing community stakeholders working collaboratively. Clear, understandable, and consistent information about breast cancer must be regularly disseminated and communities must be regularly encouraged to utilize breast cancer screening services.

Analysis of Children's Road Crashes in Hungary

In the EU, more than 6,000 children died in road accidents between 2011 and 2020. Children are particularly vulnerable road users, and they need to be protected. This underlines the importance of the Safe System approach. The Safe System approach is a holistic view of road safety, which integrates the different elements of the traffic system and takes human vulnerability and fallibility into account. Children are still in the phase of developing the cognitive and physical skills necessary to travel safely in traffic. Because of their small size, children are less visible than other road users and less experienced; they can easily become innocent victims in collisions. Despite significant improvements in vehicle safety in recent years, almost half of all child road deaths occur while traveling in cars. Limited data is available on the correct use of child seats in cars across the EU, but studies have shown that misuse remains a significant problem. Several measures have been taken in recent years to make it safer for children to travel on the roads, but many more interventions are needed to further improve their safety. Our research aimed to examine the characteristics of child accidents in Hungary and to highlight the main road safety problems affecting children in Hungary.

Підходи до реформування спрощеної системи оподаткування в умовах реалізації Національної стратегії доходів до 2030 року

Introduction. Subjects of small and medium-sized enterprises in global fiscal practice can be taxed either under the general tax system or through simplified tax regimes. The application of such taxation regimes is determined by a number of their advantages and is established at certain stages of the socio-economic development of the state. Problem Statement. In the conditions of Ukraine's European integration and a critical shortage of financial resources, there is an urgent need to reform the simplified taxation system in Ukraine. The National Revenue Strategy until 2030 (hereinafter - the Strategy) outlines the reasons and main directions of reform. Its main objective, in this regard, is to establish incentives for business entities to transition from a simplified to a general taxation system. Purpose.To substantiate the approaches to the development and operation of a simplified taxation system, and to form proposals for its design in Ukraine in line with the implementation of the Strategy. Methods. The research employed a variety of general scientific and specialized methods, including logical analysis, synthesis, induction and deduction, description, theoretical generalization, abstract-logical reasoning, critical analysis, comparison, and expert evaluation. Results. Based on the analysis of the negative and positive aspects of the operation of the simplified taxation system in Ukraine, the expediency of its preservation with the elimination of negative aspects and taking into account the needs of the socio-economic development of the state is substantiated. Key areas and approaches to the design of a simplified taxation system in Ukraine are determined. Proposals have been made to define individual elements of the simplified system in the context of the implementation of the Strategy. Conclusions. The study of the methodological foundations of the design of certain spheres of simplified taxation regimes reveals the existence of several alternatives in the selection of approaches to their formation. These approaches are influenced by the macroeconomic situation in the state and the choice of tasks to be achieved when introducing or reforming the simplified regime. The authors outlined proposals for the design of a simplified taxation system in Ukraine, highlighting key areas and evaluating the extent to which these proposals are reflected in the Strategy.

Development of a Permanent Magnet Magnetic System for an Energy-Saving Synchrotron Radiation Source

New technologies can be used to further improve the parameters of synchrotron radiation sources. One of them is the use of permanent magnets when creating elements of the magnetic storage system. This will help eliminate the influence of power supply instability and vibrations caused by the operation of the cooling system on the stability of the electron beam position. In addition, the use of permanent magnets will make it possible to increase the aperture of the vacuum chamber and, thus, simplify the vacuum and injection systems of the storage device, as well as increase the threshold instability currents. This work is devoted to the development of two bending magnets, focusing and defocusing, which make up the regular part of the magnetic system of an energy-saving compact synchrotron radiation source. The design and results of magnetic field modeling are presented.

Cortical localization and the nerve cell: Freud's work in Meynert's psychiatry clinic.

Sigmund Freud's pioneering early work on individuated nerve cells, later termed "neurons," has long been recognized by the history of psychology. Yet, relatively little has been written about the influence of Freud's then mentor, Theodor Meynert, on Freud's 1884-1885 neuroanatomical research, or the monumental conceptual shift embodied in the project itself. Focusing on Freud's 1884 "Die Struktur der Elemente des Nervensytems" (The Structure of the Elements of the Nervous System) as his first true effort to describe individuated nerve cells, this article identifies Meynert as highly influential on Freud's turn to representative schema, further suggesting that Freud's brief foray in clinical neurology at Meynert's clinic aligns with Freud's move from the laboratory to the mind. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Identification of incipient cavitation in control valve

Control valves as important elements in hydraulic systems are used to transport liquid and gaseous media, for example, water, water vapor, and hydrogen. They are mainly used in the power engineering, chemical industry, and so forth. Due to their large dimensions, the verification of hydraulic parameters is problematic. In the case of liquid flow, cavitation can occur, which is mainly characterized by noise, vibrations, or changes of hydraulic parameters. During the incipient cavitation in the valve, there are no noticeable changes in the hydraulic characteristics. The article, therefore, deals with the methodology of determining the cavitation by measuring and evaluating the characteristics of the valve, spectral analysis of noise, and vibrations during water flow. Mathematical modeling is also a suitable tool for determining the extent of cavitation in valve design. Newly created modified cavitation model, where the flowing medium is defined as a mixture of incompressible water and compressible gases (vapor and air), better corresponds to physical principles than the two-phase approach (water and vapor) with experimentally modified density and viscosity. Measured noise and vibration frequency characteristics and mathematically modeled pressure frequency characteristics identify cavitation in the (1 to 10) kHz range. The article proves that when identifying cavitation, the method of measuring hydraulic characteristics fails, but the method of measuring noise and vibrations is suitable in practice, i.e., in real industrial equipment, and the modified cavitation model is suitable for identifying cavitation regions in structural designs of the hydraulic elements.

CATOM : Causal Topology Map for Spatiotemporal Traffic Analysis with Granger Causality in Urban Areas.

The transportation network is an important element in an urban system that supports daily activities, enabling people to travel from one place to another. One of the key challenges is the network complexity, which is composed of many node pairs distributed over the area. This spatial characteristic results in the high dimensional network problem in understanding the 'cause' of problems such as traffic congestion. Recent studies have proposed visual analytics systems aimed at understanding these underlying causes. Despite these efforts, the analysis of such causes is limited to identified patterns. However, given the intricate distribution of roads and their mutual influence, new patterns continuously emerge across all roads within urban transportation. At this stage, a well-defined visual analytics system can be a good solution for transportation practitioners. In this paper, we propose a system, CATOM (Causal Topology Map), for the cause-effect analysis of traffic patterns based on Granger causality for extracting causal topology maps. CATOM discovers causal relationships between roads through the Granger causality test and quantifies these relationships through the causal density. During the design process, the system was developed to fully utilize spatial information with visualization techniques to overcome the previous problems in the literature. We also evaluate the usability of our approach by conducting a SUS(System Usability Scale) test and traffic cause analysis with the real-world data from two study sites in collaboration with domain experts.

Development model of a high-performance multiple input multiple output microstrip antenna based on a planar series array with 8×2 elements for 5G communication systems

MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) makes a major contribution to 5G communication systems by increasing network capacity and spectrum efficiency. In 5G, MIMO enables the use of multiple antennas at base stations and user devices, allowing simultaneous sending and receiving of data over multiple paths. This significantly increases data throughput and connection reliability, especially in environments with high user density. In addition, MIMO technology supports the implementation of beamforming, which focuses signals on a specific direction, reduces interference, and improves signal coverage and quality, making it one of the keys to achieving faster and more responsive 5G performance. Therefore, antennas with wide bandwidth, high gain and MIMO performance are crucial for supporting 5G communication systems. This paper proposes a high-performance MIMO microstrip antenna based on a series planar array with 8×2 elements operating at a resonant frequency of 3.5 GHz for 5G communication systems. A spiral stub and a feed inset are proposed to control the reflection coefficient and bandwidth of the antenna while the series planar array is proposed to increase the gain. To support the MIMO communication system, the proposed antenna is separated into two different ports with a certain distance. From the measurement results, the proposed antenna has high performance indicated by a wide bandwidth of 680 MHz (3–3.68 GHz) and a high gain of 17.8 dB at a resonant frequency of 3.5 GHz. In addition, the proposed antenna has high mutual coupling and diversity indicated by ECC and DG of 0.001 and 9.99 dB, respectively. This work provides a solution to design a high-performance microstrip antenna and can be implemented as a receiving antenna for 5G communication systems

2022 개정 음악과 교육과정의 한배 관련 국악 요소 학습 방안

The purpose of this paper is to present a plan to learn elements related to Hanbae among the music elements of the 2022 revised music curriculum. To this end, first, the music elements of the content system and achievement standards of the 2022 revised curriculum were examined, and the Korean traditional music elements related to Hanbae among the music elements were reviewed with prior research and literature. Second, the implementation patterns of Hanbae-related activities were analyzed in the 2015 revised music textbook and the 2022 revised 3rd-4th grade exhibition music textbook. Third, a teaching and learning plan for learning Korean traditional music elements related to Hanbae was presented. As a learning method presented in this study, it is expected that the concept of Hanbae, which students vaguely understood, can be comprehensively understood as multi-sensory activities of hearing, vision, touch, and motor sensations. In addition, it will be possible to internalize the Korean traditional music by understanding that the elements related to Hanbae, such as Hanbae's change, Ginzajin format, and Hanbae's format, are linked to each other through various activity experiences, and by discovering the characteristics of Korean traditional music elements on their own. Furthermore, it is expected that the development of a plan to educate Korean traditional music elements such as Hanbae, Hanbae's change, Ginzajin format, and Hanbae's format, which are organically connected, is not independently learned, but rather complexly.

Research of the distribution symmetrical components in an electrical system with a diesel generator at an unsymmetrical load

Purpose. Investigation symmetrical components of current and voltage in microgrid elements with an autonomous synchronous generator of limited power, which works in parallel with a network transformer under the condition of non-metric load. Methodology. During the research, visual programming methods were used in the Simulink/Matlab package, methods of electrical engineering theory in terms of determining symmetrical component currents and voltages in observation branches, methods of synthesizing schemes for replacing elements of electric power systems for symmetrical component currents, methods of data processing and construction diagrams using specialized software tools.. Findings. As a result the analysis known studies, it was established that under the condition of researching low-power generating systems in conditions of asymmetry, insufficient attention is paid to the nature of the asymmetric load. Using the well-known structure of a microgrid, which includes a synchronous generator, a machine load, and an external network transformer, its model was built, in which, by introducing asymmetric loads of various types, a series of experiments was implemented with the registration of voltages and currents of forward, reverse, and zero sequences in the branches of the network. The analysis of the results obtained during the research established that the positive sequence voltage in the case of a change in the active load does not change its level, under the same circumstances, in the case of an active-capacitive and active-inductive load, the voltage change has the opposite character. In the case of increasing asymmetry of an active-inductive nature, the positive sequence voltage decreases, and in the case of an active-capacitive one, it increases. The specified changes in some cases exceed 3%. Positive sequence currents in the case of active load imbalance differ slightly. In the case of a positive sequence current of the transformer, its continuous growth is observed, which in the case of active-capacitive and active-inductive loads exceeds the active one by an average of 1.5 times. Negative sequence currents in the studied model, which are formed by an asymmetrical load, are completely closed to the transformer, causing zero-sequence voltages, and the nature asymmetrical load significantly affects the value of these currents, a 61% increase was noted. Originality. It was established that in a microgrid, which includes a synchronous generator, a machine load, a symmetrical active load of comparable power to the generator, an external network transformer, in addition to the fact of asymmetry caused by an asymmetrical load, the character of an asymmetrical load (active, active-inductive or active-capacitive). Practical value. In the case of using in microgrids devices that provide an increase in the quality of electrical energy, for example, symmetrical devices, it is necessary, in addition to the asymmetry factor, to take into account the natural load that causes the latter.

Elevated levels of peripheral and central nervous system immune markers reflect innate immune dysregulation in autism spectrum disorder

BackgroundEvidence suggests dysregulated immune functions in the pathophysiology of Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), although specific immune mechanisms are yet to be identified. MethodsWe assessed circulating levels of 25 immune/neuroinflammatory markers in a large ASD sample (n = 151) and matched controls (n = 72) using linear models. In addition, we performed global brain transcriptomics analyses of relevant immune-related genes. We also assessed the expression and function of factors and pathway elements of the inflammasome system in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from ASD and controls using in vitro methods. ResultsWe found higher circulating levels of IL-18 and adhesion factors (ICAM-1, MADCAM1) in individuals with ASD relative to controls. Consistent with this, brain levels of ICAM1 mRNA were also higher in ASD compared to controls. Furthermore, we found higher expression/activity of Caspase-1 and the inflammasome sensor NLRP3 in PBMCs in ASD, both at baseline and following inflammatory challenge. This corresponded with higher levels of secreted IL-18, IL-1β, and IL-8, as well as increased expression of adhesion factors following inflammasome activation in ASD PBMC cultures. Inhibition of the NLRP3-inflammasome rescued the observed immune phenotype in ASD in vitro. ConclusionOur results suggest a role for inflammasome dysregulation in ASD pathophysiology.

A temperature-sensitive metabolic valve and a transcriptional feedback loop drive rapid homeoviscous adaptation in Escherichia coli

All free-living microorganisms homeostatically maintain the fluidity of their membranes by adapting lipid composition to environmental temperatures. Here, we quantify enzymes and metabolic intermediates of the Escherichia coli fatty acid and phospholipid synthesis pathways, to describe how this organism measures temperature and restores optimal membrane fluidity within a single generation after a temperature shock. A first element of this regulatory system is a temperature-sensitive metabolic valve that allocates flux between the saturated and unsaturated fatty acid synthesis pathways via the branchpoint enzymes FabI and FabB. A second element is a transcription-based negative feedback loop that counteracts the temperature-sensitive valve. The combination of these elements accelerates membrane adaptation by causing a transient overshoot in the synthesis of saturated or unsaturated fatty acids following temperature shocks. This strategy is comparable to increasing the temperature of a water bath by adding water that is excessively hot rather than adding water at the desired temperature. These properties are captured in a mathematical model, which we use to show how hard-wired parameters calibrate the system to generate membrane compositions that maintain constant fluidity across temperatures. We hypothesize that core features of the E. coli system will prove to be ubiquitous features of homeoviscous adaptation systems.

Adequacy of measures to threats as one of the fundamental ­principles of safety riskology

Purpose. To justify the need to apply the “principle of adequacy of probabilities” as a measure to improve the risk management methodology, to prevent (counteract) existing and emerging risks (threats) to the security of complex systems. Methodology. The well-known methodological principle called “Ockam’s Razor” was used. In the course of the research, a complex method was used, which included formal and logical analysis of normative and scientific and technical literature, analysis of statistical data, synthesis, abstraction, experiment, observation, generalization of data, description. Findings. In the course of the research, one of the threats (danger, risk) was identified, which simultaneously affects the existence of such a system due to traffic safety of rolling stock of rail transport enterprises, and the full implementation of the system’s capabilities due to axle loads, mass and speed movement of rolling stock, level of operating costs, passenger flow, regularity of transportation, etc. Experimental application of the lubricant “Mariol NT” in SPP 12-5, GS-3 lubrication systems showed a decrease in wear intensity by 240 %. Due to the use of a new lubricating material applied to the friction surface of wheel rims as part of the paint coating, the wear intensity of flanges of twin-wheel rims is reduced by 2.2 times, and that of locomotives by 2.4 times. Originality. It was determined that the “principle of adequacy of probabilities” as a measure of improvement of the risk management methodology, prevention (counteraction) of existing and prospective risks (threats, dangers) during the safety assessment of complex systems is currently not applied, but its consideration helps to prevent (countermeasures) to existing and emerging risks (threats) to the safety of complex systems. Practical value. The use of the “principle of adequacy of probabilities” allows for the theoretical and experimental determination of the numerical value of the ratio between the probability of an event occurring, caused by the action of an identified threat that negatively affects the state (level) of safety and operability of system elements at all stages of its existence, and the probability of a positively compensatory effect of the developed countermeasure to the identified threat.

Forest Enclave Potential Assessment for Nature Conservation and Recreation in City with Dysfunctional Natural System

Forests are an important component of the natural systems of large cities. Their deficiency limits the proper functioning of these systems and creates a shortage of recreational places for residents needing contact with nature. This can be encountered in Rzeszów, a city in southern Poland with 200,000 inhabitants, which is characterised by the smallest forest area (2.8%) of all province capitals in the country. The natural state of small forest enclaves in this city has not been fully investigated. This has led to incorrect management and nature conservation policies. Therefore, the aim of this research conducted since 2015 was to recognise the potential for conservation and recreational functions using the concept of ecosystem services (ES) and ecosystem disservices (EDS), and to develop recommendations for the optimal use of these areas. This article analyses and compares 14 indicators related to ES and EDS of three out of five larger forest patches in the city. The results of this analysis indicate that the current method for protecting these valuable elements of the natural system does not correspond with their actual conservation potential. The application of the ES and EDS concepts to assess the nature conservation potential allowed us to determine it as high in two forest enclaves where such potential had not been indicated so far, and to identify the highest recreational potential in one of the investigated sites.

Trauma patients in the practice of medical rescue teams in Poland

Quick and effective access to professional medical assistance in emergencies has become a key element of the modern healthcare system. Emergency medical services play a vital role in immediate response to medical emergencies, in particular traumatic injury. According to estimates, emergency medical services delivered to trauma patients account for 10-20% of all services provided by paramedic units in Poland. An analysis of paramedic services delivered to trauma patients will make a significant contribution to the effectiveness and optimization of emergency medical services. The aim of this study was to analyze the emergency medical services delivered by paramedic units to trauma patients in the voivodeship of Warmia and Mazury over a period of three years. The study involved a retrospective analysis of statistical data for the above voivodeship. The patients were classified according to the 10th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) [1]. Most trauma patients were assigned ICD-10 codes S (injury, poisoning, and certain other consequences of external causes) and T (injuries involving multiple body regions) categories. Results: The diagnoses made by physicians, paramedics, and emergency nurses in patient care reports were the source of data for the retrospective analysis. A total of 400,251 cases (n= 400,251) were analyzed and 11,329 cases were selected (n=11,329), including 1130 patients (n=1130) who were assigned code S and 10,199 patients (n=10,199) who were assigned to code T. The examined database is administered by the Governor of the Voivodeship of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn [2]. The following types of information were analyzed: area of intervention, the patients’ age and sex, type of medical emergency, location, date, and alcohol breath odor. The collected data were analyzed to determine the presence of relationships between: a life-threatening medical emergency and the patient’s age, a life-threatening medical emergency and the patient’s sex, the patient’s age and the diagnosis made by paramedics, alcohol breath odor and the patient’s sex, and the patient’s sex and the diagnosis made by paramedics. Conclusions: The results of the study suggest that the risk of a life-threatening medical emergency is higher in younger patients and decreases gradually in older patients. The above risk is somewhat higher in men than in women. The percentage of patients assigned code S (injury, poisoning, and certain other consequences of external causes) increases with age. Alcohol breath odor is more frequently detected in patients residing in areas with a population above 10,000 than in patients residing in small towns and rural areas. The patient’s sex is not significantly correlated with the type of medical emergency, and the prevalence of the diagnosed medical emergencies tends to be similar in both sexes.