International Scientific Organizations Research Articles

SEEIIST – a new research facility for tumor treatment and biomedical investigations with proton and ion beams

Abstract Purpose A project for the establishment of an international intergovernmental scientific organization in the region of South East Europe (South East European Institute for Sustainable Technologies - SEEIIST) is currently in progress. SEEIIST is an intergovernmental effort supported by nine countries from the region (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo (This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSC 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia, while Switzerland is an observer). The main goals of the project are to establish a unique research infrastructure and to form a research nucleus in the region of South-East Europe, to boost the technology transfer from European laboratories like CERN and others, to promote collaboration between science, technology, and industry, to mitigate tensions between countries in the region, and to provide platforms for the development of education. Methods The research infrastructure will include a powerful next-generation accelerator that will provide proton and ion beams for tumor treatment and biomedical research. The center will comprise of three rooms for patient treatment and two large experimental halls. Results A wide pre-clinical and clinical research program in the fields of radiobiology, medical physics, medical imaging, biophysical modeling and planning of patient treatment, design and investigation of new materials, production of isotopes for diagnosis, and treatment of patients are envisaged. Conclusions This infrastructure is unique for Europe and will attract researchers from all European countries to perform their investigations.

Lower Urinary Tract Infections: An Approach for Greek Community Health Practitioners

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) cause a significant infectious burden in the community and demand a coordinated approach from all first-line health professionals. Uncomplicated UTIs refer to infections in non-pregnant females without any underlying localized or generalized pathology, diagnosed through history by the presence of specific local symptoms and in the absence of systemic ones like fever. Uncomplicated UTIs are usually caused by Escherichia coli species; thus, empirical antibiotic treatment can be immediately initiated. A percentage of patients can experience a resolution of symptoms without therapy; however, this “wait and observe” approach is supported only by the relevant British guidelines. There are limited quality studies in the literature on adjuvant treatment options; these can include BNO 145, a phytotherapeutic medicine, and XHP, a medical technology product. Despite being licensed by the European Medicines Agency on the basis of traditional use, there is inadequate support in the medical literature for the use of cranberry extracts and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi extracts. The use of antibiotics is associated with higher response rates and urine culture sterilization as well as lower recurrence/relapse rates; on the other hand, side effect rates are also higher. In choosing the proper empirical antibiotic therapy, one has to take into account individual patient characteristics and community resistance patterns as well as the antimicrobial resistance pressure exerted by the wide use of a specific antibiotic. There is a need for a common framework through which all frontline health practitioners should operate when faced with a case of uncomplicated UTI. In Greece, there are three different guidelines for UTI treatment, developed by the Ministry of Health, the National Organization for Medicines, and the Hellenic Society for Infectious Diseases. The authors of the present study aim at synthesizing these guidelines as well as relevant guidelines from international scientific or other national regulatory organizations while taking into account local resistance patterns. The authors propose the first-line use of either fosfomycin, nitrofurantoin, or pivmecillinam. The use of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole is discouraged due to increased resistance of Greek community E. coli isolates. Fluoroquinolone use should be avoided due to high E. coli community resistance (exceeding 20% for Greece), along with their unfavorable benefit/side effect balance in uncomplicated UTIs, as well as the overall community resistance pressure exerted by their use. A 5-day regimen remains superior to a 3-day one; the latter may be suitable for certain, not yet adequately characterized, patients.

The Moving Mountain: Performance for Mauna a Wākea during the Protect Maunakea Movement

Abstract: Between the period of July 2019 and March 2020, Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) kia‘i (protectors or guardians) blocked the access road up to Mauna a Wākea, Hawai‘i’s tallest peak, to protest and prevent the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). This proposed development, spearheaded by a conglomerate of international scientific organizations, has become the catalyst for the latest movement for reestablishing Hawaiian sovereignty after a long history of appropriation, desecration, and broken promises. For Kānaka Maoli the construction poses a threat to their sacred land, burial sites, and the delicate ecology of the mountain. During these protests, kia‘i demonstrated and reconfirmed their relationship to Mauna a Wākea through the mediums of music and dance in the newly created Mauna Protocol Ceremony performed at the protest site on Hawai‘i Island, public performance venues, and online. Performing for the mountain at accessible locations allowed more people to view and interact with Mauna a Wākea without having to be on location. It is through the Hawaiian concepts of ‘ike (know by doing), kū (stand firm), and hulihia (overturn) that I illustrate how kia‘i effectively transform secular spaces into sacred ones through the act of performance.

Russian Universities as Actors of Arctic Science Diplomacy

Abstract. This article examines the role of Russian universities in emerging and further developing Arctic science diplomacy (ASD). According to authors, in the current geopolitical conditions Russian universities are significant ASD actors which perform a number of important functions for the organization of international scientific cooperation with foreign countries and making a positive image of Russia in the world. The paper uses a systemic approach to identify Russian universities’ contribution to the ASD development through various mechanisms: joint research projects and publications with foreign partners, the organization of international events on the Arctic issues and participation in prestigious international conferences on the Arctic research area, joint polar expeditions (land and maritime), and participation of Russian scientists in international Arctic scientific organizations, etc. The university ASD is exemplified by the Russian leading universities – St. Petersburg State University, Moscow State University, Northern (Arctic) Federal University, etc. The study demonstrated that maintaining a dialogue on an ongoing basis within the framework of research and educational activities of universities can contribute to the systematic establishment of cooperation in other areas of international relations, the search for innovative solutions for the benefit of the development of the entire Arctic region.

Analytical support for identification trends and problems in the development of interaction between stakeholders of education, science and business

Ukraine’s entry into the path of innovative economic development requires modernisation of the interaction between stakeholders of education, science and business to create a network of cooperation, taking into account the needs of stakeholders due to the situation in Ukraine as of 2023, focusing on changes in the world economy. The purpose of the article was to build a structural and logical scheme of analytical support for identifying trends and problems in the development of interaction between stakeholders in education, science and business. The methodology was based on the use of logical, systemic and comparative analysis. The analysis of budgetary funding for priority areas of innovation activity and sales of innovative products (services) and new technologies by budgetary funds managers showed no trends and priorities for the development of technology transfer and other intellectual property rights carried out by universities, research institutions, enterprises and organisations. The generalisation of changes and prospects of legislative regulation of support for educational, innovative, scientific and technical activities of business focuses on post-war reconstruction, which involves increasing confidence in the educational, scientific and expert activities of institutions for their effective functioning and increasing the volume of research funding. The analysis of the integration aspects of the research and innovation system into the European Research Area and support from international scientific organisations and foreign governments proved the support received from many national scientific communities and international scientific organisations in the creation of the portal for international scientific and technical cooperation and the international consortium for infrastructure and research. The practical significance of the study lies in the proposed directions for improving interaction with business of educational and scientific institutions in the process of implementing innovations separately by stages of interaction with stakeholders (attraction, financing and implementation)

International EANM-SNMMI-ISMRM consensus recommendation for PET/MRI in oncology

PreambleThe Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) is an international scientific and professional organization founded in 1954 to promote the science, technology, and practical application of nuclear medicine. The European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) is a professional non-profit medical association that facilitates communication worldwide between individuals pursuing clinical and research excellence in nuclear medicine. The EANM was founded in 1985. The merged International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) is an international, nonprofit, scientific association whose purpose is to promote communication, research, development, and applications in the field of magnetic resonance in medicine and biology and other related topics and to develop and provide channels and facilities for continuing education in the field.The ISMRM was founded in 1994 through the merger of the Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and the Society of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. SNMMI, ISMRM, and EANM members are physicians, technologists, and scientists specializing in the research and practice of nuclear medicine and/or magnetic resonance imaging.The SNMMI, ISMRM, and EANM will periodically define new guidelines for nuclear medicine practice to help advance the science of nuclear medicine and/or magnetic resonance imaging and to improve the quality of service to patients throughout the world. Existing practice guidelines will be reviewed for revision or renewal, as appropriate, on their fifth anniversary or sooner, if indicated. Each practice guideline, representing a policy statement by the SNMMI/EANM/ISMRM, has undergone a thorough consensus process in which it has been subjected to extensive review. The SNMMI, ISMRM, and EANM recognize that the safe and effective use of diagnostic nuclear medicine imaging and magnetic resonance imaging requires specific training, skills, and techniques, as described in each document. Reproduction or modification of the published practice guideline by those entities not providing these services is not authorized.These guidelines are an educational tool designed to assist practitioners in providing appropriate care for patients. They are not inflexible rules or requirements of practice and are not intended, nor should they be used, to establish a legal standard of care. For these reasons and those set forth below, the SNMMI, the ISMRM, and the EANM caution against the use of these guidelines in litigation in which the clinical decisions of a practitioner are called into question.The ultimate judgment regarding the propriety of any specific procedure or course of action must be made by the physician or medical physicist in light of all the circumstances presented. Thus, there is no implication that an approach differing from the guidelines, standing alone, is below the standard of care. To the contrary, a conscientious practitioner may responsibly adopt a course of action different from that set forth in the guidelines when, in the reasonable judgment of the practitioner, such course of action is indicated by the condition of the patient, limitations of available resources, or advances in knowledge or technology subsequent to publication of the guidelines.The practice of medicine includes both the art and the science of the prevention, diagnosis, alleviation, and treatment of disease. The variety and complexity of human conditions make it impossible to always reach the most appropriate diagnosis or to predict with certainty a particular response to treatment.Therefore, it should be recognized that adherence to these guidelines will not ensure an accurate diagnosis or a successful outcome. All that should be expected is that the practitioner will follow a reasonable course of action based on current knowledge, available resources, and the needs of the patient to deliver effective and safe medical care. The sole purpose of these guidelines is to assist practitioners in achieving this objective.

Некоторые проблемы этики искусственного интеллекта

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have brought digital ethics to the public’s attention and are the driving force behind many discussions on ethical issues related to digital technologies. This article analyzes the arguments of supporters and opponents of artificial intelligence, various approaches to the development of AI systems, ethical issues associated with the use of AI technologies, including the problem of managing artificial intelligence and the idea of active responsibility for the development of AI technologies, general principles for the development of AI systems formulated in the founding documents. The methodological basis of this work was the dialectical method; in the process of research the author used the comparative method and the method of document analysis. The sources were the studies by domestic and foreign authors on various ethical issues of artificial intelligence, the European “Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI” and the Russian “AI Ethics Code”. The author demonstrates the importance of the moralization of artificial intelligence technologies, that is, the conscious development of technologies for the formation of moral actions and decision-making. One of the clear problems is finding a democratic way to moralize technology, since technology differs from laws in that it can restrict human freedom without being the result of a democratic process. It is argued that it is necessary to create an independent international scientific organization to develop a clear scientific view of artificial intelligence, as well as an independent international body for the regulation of artificial intelligence, which would unite approaches to understanding this phenomenon from different points of view (states, private companies and academia).

SNMMI Procedure Standard/EANM Practice Guideline for Palliative Nuclear Medicine Therapies of Bone Metastases.

The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) is an international scientific and professional organization founded in 1954 to promote the science, technology, and practical application of nuclear medicine. The European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) is a professional

An outline of endocrine disrupting chemicals and the influencing hormones: what the human society ought to know?

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are exogenous chemicals that interfere with hormones action, thereby increasing the risk of adverse health outcomes, including cancer, reproductive impairment, cognitive deficits and obesity. A complex literature of mechanistic studies provides evidence on the hazards of EDC exposure, yet there is no widely accepted systematic method to integrate these data to help identify EDC hazards. Significant advances in research into endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and their health effects have elevated concerns in recent years about these chemicals among a number of international scientific and health organizations. The research reviewed here provides knowledge about EDC’s that health scientists can use to inform their research and decision-making processes.
 Keywords: Endocrine disrupting chemicals, hormones action, cancer, reproductive impairment, cognitive deficits and obesity

SNMMI Procedure Standard/EANM Practice Guideline for SSTR PET: Imaging Neuroendocrine Tumors

The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) is an international scientific and professional organization founded in 1954 to promote the science, technology, and practical application of nuclear medicine. Its 18,000 members are physicians, technologists, and scientists specializing

PAS-ANSO Strategic Planning for Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness

Under the ANSO (Alliance of International Science Organizations) collaborative research grants (ANSO-CR-PP-2021-05), we arranged the first event “MAAP-PAS-ANSO hybrid workshop on ecosystem restoration: one-health and pandemics” (June 05, 2022; on the occasion of world environment day) at Pakistan Academy of Sciences, Islamabad. The workshop stresses communication and collaboration for sustainable health (human, animal, and environment) and gauged issues related to the health of the planet. Under the same project, the second event “ANSO-PAS-MAAP conference on the epidemic and pandemic preparedness” (December 05-07, 2022) was organized at the Pakistan Academy of Sciences, Islamabad. The three days event emphasizes more scientific efforts and brainstorming to discuss strategies for controlling the current COVID-19 pandemic as well as future epidemics, pandemics, and emerging pathogens. The conference abstract book highlights the resource persons and their thoughts (in the form of abstracts and their biographies). Selected articles are published as a special issue in the Proceedings of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences: Part B. Life and Environmental Sciences. Moreover, the conference proceedings and recommendations have also been published in the special issue.

Public good of Digital Transformation of Public administration and the applicability of the Groves-Clark mechanism: strategic aspects

The article describes and analyzes the strategic possibilities of digital transformation of public administration focused on the socio-economic development of the country, on digital management of branches of the national economy and the social sphere, the priority of which is the steady growth of public welfare, improving the quality of life of citizens as economic agents. Object of research: public goods of digital transformation of public administration. Subject of the study: strategic possibilities of the applicability of the Groves-Clark mechanism in identifying the preferences of agents for making managerial decisions on the improvement of public territories. The purpose of the work is to substantiate the digital transformation of public administration as a public good and as an innovative process that ensures the adoption of optimal management decisions by state and local self–government bodies when providing citizens with other public goods. Methods of work: analysis of the results of scientific research and development of domestic and foreign scientists, international and Russian scientific organizations. The result of the work: preparation of methodological provisions for the development of effective management decisions based on an online study of the true preferences of key agents who assess in advance the usefulness in the strategic perspective of the public good provided, as well as methodological recommendations for implementation in a single digital platform "GosTech", including in the state information systems (GIS) hosted on it, the Groves-Clark mechanism (including Vickrey-Clark-Groves).

At the Occasion of the IGU Centennial Congress 2022 in Paris: Some Thoughts on Official Plurilingualism of International Scientific Organisations and International Scientific Events

Die Fachzeitschrift "Mitteilungen der Österreichischen Geographischen Gesellschaft" (früher "Mitteilungen der k.k. Geographischen Gesellschaft in Wien") • ist das wichtigste regelmäßig erscheinende Organ der "Österreichischen Geographischen Gesellschaft", erscheint seit 1857 und ist die älteste noch existierende Fachzeitschrift geographischen Inhaltes im deutschen Sprachraum, • vermittelt neue Erkenntnisse aus allen Bereichen der Geographie, Kartographie und verwandter Raumwissenschaften, • informiert über Fachfragen in Forschung und Lehre, nationale und internationale geographische Aktivitäten, sowie Personalia, • erscheint im Umfang von mindestens 400 Druckseiten (mit Kartenbeilagen) im Jahr

Open Science for Ukraine: the Case for International Cooperation

The war in Ukraine and resulting destruction of research institutions have severely affected Ukrainian scientists. Almost 100,000 scientists still reside in Ukraine and require international support to continue their work. Ukrainian scientists would strongly benefit from an organized effort to support them through open science policies. As a result of the ongoing invasion, academic and research institutions in Ukraine have been physically damaged, and researchers face significant obstacles in trying to continue their work. This year, the International Science Council and an international collective of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine called on the scientific community to assist Ukraine by providing free access to archives, licensed software, and databases. International scientific societies and organizations such as UNESCO can use their resources to encourage collaboration and facilitate remote access to scientific resources for Ukrainian scientists. Open science policies will be key for preserving Ukrainian science and helping rebuild in the future.

Leadership of AAAP scientists and journals in animal science: achievements, limitations, and challenges.

The Asian-Australasian Association of Animal Production Societies (AAAP), the only international scientific organization in animal science representing Asia and Pacific region, showed a remarkable development since its inception in 1980. The number of member countries increased from 8 to 19 while 19 congresses were held in 11 different member countries. The AAAP also helped creating the official journal, Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences in 1988 with the title being changed to Animal Bioscience in 2021. It is an open access journal indexed by most global databases and has become one of the most respected global journals in animal science. Through scientific meetings and journal publication, the AAAP has made a tremendous contribution to the advancement of animal science and industry throughout its member countries over the last 40 years. This paper summarizes the advances in animal science in the Asia-Pacific region, together with the roles of the AAAP scientists and journals in developing animal science.

Editorial comments: Focus on cardiovascular risk screening.

This special issue is dedicated to several topics related to the screening, proper, and early detection of cardiovascular risk factors in clinical practice: hypertension, lipid, unhealthy lifestyle, and genetic susceptibility. Furthermore, the topic of screening prior to return to play (RTP) after SARS-CoV-2 infection in the child and adolescent athlete is discussed by consensus document of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology. Several evidence suggest that SARS-CoV-2 infection may also be linked to cardiac issues in young athletes, with a risk of myo-pericardial involvement leading to sport-related arrhythmias.1 As a result, there are concerns about young athletes who want to RTP after SARS-CoV-2 infection, because exercise may result in accelerated virus replication, increased inflammation, and cellular necrosis with a proarrhythmic myocardial substrate during the acute phase of infection, especially if there are hidden cardiac complications. National and international scientific organizations have advocated cardiac assessment before RTP in competitive athletes, but protocols vary around the globe. The lack of comprehensive data, particularly in preadolescent and adolescent athletes, raises questions about the best technique for proper cardiac risk classification in this cohort of athletes.

Why It Takes a Village to Manage and Share Data

Implementation plans for the National Institutes of Health policy for data management and sharing, which takes effect in 2023, provide an opportunity to reflect on the stakeholders, infrastructures, practice, economics, and sustainability of data sharing. Responsibility for fulfilling data-sharing requirements tends to fall on principal investigators, whereas it takes a village of stakeholders to construct, manage, and sustain the necessary knowledge infrastructure for disseminating data products. Individual scientists have mixed incentives and many disincentives to share data, all of which vary by research domain, methods, resources, and other factors. Motivations and investments for data sharing also vary widely among academic institutional stakeholders such as university leadership, research computing, libraries, and individual schools and departments. Stakeholder concerns are interdependent along many dimensions, seven of which are explored: what data to share; context and credit; discovery; methods and training; intellectual property; data science programs; and international tensions. Data sharing is not a simple matter of individual practice, but one of infrastructure, institutions, and economics. Governments, funding agencies, and international science organizations all will need to invest in commons approaches for data sharing to develop into a sustainable international ecosystem.

INTERRELATION OF THE INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT INDEX SYSTEM AND CURRENT GDP & GDP BASED ON PPP INDICATORS

This article is empirical in nature. Its purpose is to analyze, on the basis of a multivariate regression model, the question of the impact of the Inclusive Development Index–as the first index instrument of an inclusive economy–on such two forms of GDP as an indicator that the Inclusive Development Index was recognized to replace: current GDP per capita and GDP based purchasing power parity (given that the constant GDP indicator is officially included in the structure of the Index). The dimension of analysis described above and presented in this article is a component of the author’s research as part of a PhD program dedicated to determining the overall effectiveness of the Inclusive Development Index presented in 2017 by the World Economic Forum. The regression analysis showed the minimal presence of significant influences of the structure of the Inclusive Development Index on current GDP and GDP based on PPP as the two main economic indicators in the world. This allows us to talk about the abstract nature of the construction of the Inclusive Development Index. In turn, the inevitability of such aforementioned studies is dictated by the incompleteness of the reorientation of the model of global economic dynamics from the concept of sustainable development developed in the 1970s to the concept of inclusive economic growth. This, in particular, is declared today by specialists from leading international scientific and economic organizations and associations: The WEF, the OECD, the World Bank, The International Monetary Fund, The United Nations, and structures like the International Labor Organization and UNICEF, which operate under the auspices of the UN. The theoretical and practical significance of the results obtained may be useful in further studies on such composite indicators.

SNMMI Procedure Standard/EANM Practice Guideline for Molecular Breast Imaging with Dedicatedγ-Cameras

The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) is an international scientific and professional organization founded in 1954 to promote the science, technology, and practical application of nuclear medicine. The European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) is a professional

Anticipating global warming effects: A comprehensive study of drought impact of both flax plants and fibres

Currently, the effects of global warming are one of the most important topics on the agendas of all governments and international economic and scientific organisations on the planet. Temperatures and rainfall will be especially subjected to increasing deregulation, and thus crop yields will be affected according to geographic location. Cellulosic materials, such as bast fibres, are considered one solution to decrease human environmental impact: they are a renewable resource, biodegradable and have a lower carbon emission than synthetic materials. However, their quality, yield and mechanical properties depend on environmental conditions during plant growth. In this paper, we explored the possible impact of seasonal drought linked to future climate change on flax plants and fibre quality. Two batches of the same textile flax plant cultivar were grown under two different field environmental conditions in the same year, one taken as a control under regular climatic conditions and the second one grown under drought stress. Carbon isotopic discrimination reveal an increase in water stress plant of the fibre δ13C, reflecting that plants are indeed suffering from drought stress from a physiological point of view. We characterized the mechanical properties, biochemistry and morphology parameters at both the stem and technical fibre scales. Our results showed that the plants of the two batches were morphologically different and that the drought-stressed plants were smaller, mainly in terms of the height of the stem (−28%) and diameter (−16%). Biochemical analyses highlighted a contrasting lignin content between the two batches. A difference in protein content was also measured, with an increased amount in stressed flax plants, with contrasting distributions revealed by tyrosine and tryptophan monitored by synchrotron UV fluorescence. In addition, polysaccharide composition was also quantified with an increase in mannose and an important decrease in glucose in the drought-stressed technical fibres. Surprisingly, despite the difference in biochemistry composition and morphological parameters, the mechanical properties of elementary flax fibres extracted from the two batches were not significantly different. This suggests that drought can affect the yield and biochemistry of the extracted technical flax fibres but does not necessarily impact the longitudinal mechanical performance of single fibres.