Main Activities Research Articles

Effects of stretching on muscle strength, endurance, and power performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: The acute and chronic effects of stretching preceding exercises on strength, power and muscular endurance are still not entirely clear in the literature. OBJECTIVE: To verify the acute and chronic effects of the main types of stretching (static, dynamic, PNF, and ballistic) on muscle strength, power, and endurance. METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed in: PubMed, Web of Science, LILACS, Scopus, Science Direct, and CENTRAL. The methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. Meta-analysis were performed using the standardized mean difference (SMD). RESULTS: 43 studies were included in the systematic review and 30 in the meta-analysis calculations. Only two studies showed high methodological quality. In general, static stretching had an impact on the potentiated the gain in muscle strength of the lower limbs in the long term (0.60 [0.20–1.00]). The acute (ES = 0.38 [0.05–0.70]) and long-term (ES = 1.04 [0.21–1.88]) dynamic stretching was able to potentiate the gain of muscle power in the lower limbs, while the acute PNF had an impact on the worsening of the muscular endurance (ES = 1.68 [0.83–2.53]). CONCLUSIONS: When the training objective is linked to acute effects, dynamic stretching should be prioritized before the main activity. For long-term effects, static and dynamic stretching have been shown to potentiate muscle strength and power gain, respectively, and are recommended in these cases.

Is the Workload Indicators of Staffing Needs (WISN) method rigorous enough to tell us how many nurses we need in a general hospital?

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the practical use of the Workload Indicators of Staffing Needs (WISN) method in a general hospital in Iran. This method was used to determine the staffing needs of nurses in various hospital units, and the study examined the gap between the theoretical calculations and the actual use of the data in the hospital. Data was collected through a mixed-method approach including observations, interviews, and document analysis. The results showed that the WISN method indicated a surplus of nursing staff and no work pressure on nurses. However, the method did not account for the complexity of nurses managing multiple tasks simultaneously, and the low bed occupancy and low hospital revenue raised concerns about the excess of nurses obtained by the WISN method. The study suggests that decision-making on staff arrangements should not be solely based on WISN's numbers, and modalities of nursing care should also be considered. While the WISN method is important in determining nurse workload, it must be used with other factors to ensure the standard of patient care is not compromised. This study contributes to the understanding of the practical use of the WISN method in the context of Iran's healthcare system.

A review of skin cancer primary prevention activities in primary care settings.

Skin cancer is highly preventable through primary prevention activities such as avoiding ultraviolet radiation exposure during peak times and regular use of sun protection. General practitioners (GPs) and primary care nurses have key responsibilities in promoting sustained primary prevention behaviour. We aimed to review the evidence on skin cancer primary prevention activities in primary care settings, including evidence on feasibility, effectiveness, barriers and enablers. Rapid review and narrative synthesis. We searched published literature from January 2011 to October 2022 in Embase, Medline, PsychInfo, Scopus, Cochrane Central and CINAHL. The search was limited to skin cancer primary prevention activities within primary care settings, for studies or programs conducted in Australia or countries with comparable health systems. Analysis of barriers and enablers was informed by an implementation science framework. A total of 31 peer-reviewed journal articles were included in the review. We identified four main primary prevention activities: education and training programs for GPs; behavioural counselling on prevention; the use of novel risk assessment tools and provision of risk-tailored prevention strategies; and new technologies to support early detection that have accompanying primary prevention advice. Enablers to delivering skin cancer primary prevention in primary care included pairing preventive activities with early detection activities, and access to patient resources and programs that fit with existing workflows and systems. Barriers included unclear requirements for skin cancer prevention counselling, competing demands within the consultation and limited access to primary care services, especially in regional and remote areas. These findings highlight potential opportunities for improving skin cancer prevention activities in primary care. Ensuring ease of program delivery, integration with early detection and availability of resources such as risk assessment tools are enablers to encourage and increase uptake of primary prevention behaviours in primary care, for both practitioners and patients.

Physical and economic characterization of rural properties in the municipality of Corumbataí do Sul – PR

The characteristics of a territory are essential to define its economic and social aptitude, in addition to representing an important tool for developing actions, by public and private institutions, aimed at sustainable development and the social well-being of the population. The aim of the work was to carry out the physical and economic characterization of rural properties in the municipality of Corumbataí do Sul. The methodology applied in the work was descriptive exploratory research. The data were collected in databases from official bodies, public and private institutions and were later tabulated in an electronic spreadsheet and processed using simple statistics, analyzed descriptively and presented through tables and charts. The results showed that agricultural production is the main economic activity of the municipality, its territory is mainly made up of small rural properties, and presents a great physical limitation, such as the presence in a large part of its area of high levels of slope and fragile soils.

On Some Aspects of the Activity of the Ussr State Arbitration in 1946–1953

For the Soviet Union, which won the Great Patriotic War and made a decisive contribution to the victory of the Allies in World War II, the post-war period was marked by the urgent need for a forced recovery of the economy suffering seriously as a result of significant human losses, the destruction of industrial enterprises, disruption in logistics links, the interruption of trade relations between various subjects of socialist economy. The State Arbitration of the USSR as a body with judicial and administrative functions became one of the state mechanisms to carry out the restoration process in the post-war Soviet economy. In this historical period the resolution of disputes between economic entities, as well as control over the execution of decisions on these disputes pursued the goal to ensure the smooth functioning and interaction of Soviet enterprises and institutions. Through the use of narrative, historical-comparative, chronological and statistical methods of historical research the article, based on a wide range of historical literature and archival sources introduced into scientific circulation for the first time, reveals an attempt to analyze the activities of the USSR State Arbitration in the period from 1946 to 1953, since during this period the activities of the body were directly related to restoration of the post-war Soviet economy. In order to identify the main activities of the USSR State Arbitration in the post-war period related to the restoration of the post-war Soviet economy, the paper pays great attention to the statistical data contained in archival sources. Noting the role of the USSR State Arbitration in the system of state authorities, with the activities aimed at the accelerated resolution of the economic tasks set, the article also reveals the work made to improve the State Arbitration’s own effectiveness. The article describes the historical situation in which State Arbitration had to function and develop after the Great Patriotic War.

Address matching using machine learning methods: An application to register-based census

Today, most activities of the statistical offices need to be adapted to the modernization policies of the national statistical system. Therefore, the application of machine learning techniques is mandatory for the main activities of statistical centers. These include important issues such as coding business activities, address matching, prediction of response propensities, and many others. One of the common applications of machine learning methods in official statistics is to match a statistical address to a postal address, in order to establish a link between register-based census and traditional censuses with the aim of providing time series census information. Since there is no unique identifier to directly map the records from different databases, text-based approaches can be applied. In this paper, a novel application of machine learning will be investigated to integrate data sources of governmental records and census, employing text-based learning. Additionally, three new methods of machine learning classification algorithms are proposed. A simulation study has been performed to evaluate the robustness of methods in terms of the degree of duplication and purity of the texts. Due to the limitation of the R programming environment on big data sets, all programming has been successfully implemented on SAS (Statistical analysis system) software.

The Legal Nature of the Institution of the Commissioner for the Rights of Consumers of Financial Services

Relevance. In 2018, the Institute of the Commissioner for Consumer Rights of Financial Services was established in the Russian Federation. The number of financial services provided to consumers is undoubtedly growing, and the number of cases of violation of citizens' rights by financial market organizations is also increasing. The Financial Commissioner is established to protect the rights of consumers, he considers disputes between consumers of financial services and financial organizations. The importance of the institution of the Commissioner for the Rights of Consumers of Financial services is increasing, which can be seen in the increase in the number of incoming appeals. However, studies of the legal nature of the institute have not been adequately reflected in legal science, which determines the relevance of this research topic.The purpose is to determine the legal nature of the institution of the Commissioner for the Rights of Consumers of Financial Services in the Russian Federation.Objectives: based on the analysis of the regulatory legal framework and scientific literature to determine the main activities of the Institute of financial Ombudsman to establish the essence of its legal nature.Methodology. In the course of the work, the methods of theoretical research (analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, mental modeling), as well as the statistical method were used.Results. In the course of the study, the author proposed an understanding of the legal nature of the institution of the financial commissioner as a complex legal phenomenon, including human rights and quasi-judicial legal components.Conclusions. According to the results of the study, conclusions are drawn that the key areas of activity of the Institute of Financial Commissioner are the protection of the rights of consumers of financial services and dispute resolution. The Commissioner for the Rights of Consumers of Financial Services is a human rights body that embodies the guarantee of the state for the protection and observance of the rights and interests of consumers by financial organizations. The Financial Commissioner acts as a judge in the dispute, upon the outcome of the consideration of the case, makes a binding decision aimed at resolving the dispute, restoring justice and based on regulatory legal acts.

3-bromopyruvate induces morphological alteration and may initiate programmed cell death in Cryptococcus neoformans cells.

3-Bromopyruvate (3BP), known for its potent anticancer properties, also exhibits remarkable efficacy against the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. So far it has been proven that the main fungicidal activity of 3BP is based on ATP depletion and a reduction of intracellular level of glutathione. The presented study includes a broad range of methods to further investigate the mechanistic effects of 3BP on C. neoformans cells. The use of flow cytometry allowed a thorough examination of their survival during 3BP treatment, while observations using electron microscopy made it possible to note the changes in cellular morphology. Utilizing ruthenium red, the study suggests a mitochondrial pathway may initiate programmed cell death in response to 3BP. Analysis of free radical generation and gene expression changes supports this hypothesis. These findings enhance comprehension of 3BP's mechanisms in fungal cells, paving the way for its potential application as a therapeutic agent against cryptococcosis.

Strengthening Culinary Micro-Enterprises Competitiveness Through SWOT Analysis and Business Model Canvas

The research objective is to analyze the culinary business situation in the city of Sintang and recommend new business strategies to increase the competitiveness of the culinary business. The method in this research is a mix method, namely combining a quantitative survey with many respondents to obtain SWOT input data and business models, with in-depth qualitative interviews with several key informants to deepen the survey results. The sample in the research was 150 culinary micro business actors using a purposive sampling technique. The results of research using the canvas business model are that culinary micro businesses have broad customer segments. Relations with consumers are direct and good. The value proposition is carried out by prioritizing product quality to improve performance. The main activity is marketing its products directly. Collaboration is carried out with several government and private offices in the city of Sintang. Costs used, fixed costs and variable costs and sole income from direct and online product sales. The SWOT analysis used to assess internal and external factors produces respective external and internal factor scores, where the internal strength factor scores 1.65, the internal weakness factor scores 1.01, the external opportunity factor scores 1.50, and the external threat factor scores 1.05. Based on the diagram, the culinary micro business strategy in Sintang city is in quadrant one, which means it supports aggressive strategies.

Implementation by the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) of Bamboo Products in Jorong Balai Labuah Bawah, Tanah Datar

Sumatera Volunteer Foundation was founded in 2014. The foundation is located in Jorong Balai Labuah Bawah-Lima Kaum, which is located on flat land. The main activity of the non-profit Sumatra Volunteer Foundation is a handicraft business whose main raw materials are obtained from nature Sumatra Volunteer sells goods whose raw material is bamboo, such as straws (Sumatra Straws), food made from coconut shells, gifts made from bamboo, and crafts to finance the Foundation's operational activities. In BPOM permit regulations, only straw products are permitted because they are used directly by users as drinking utensils. The sales system still uses the help of friends, family, alumni, students, and interns from the Sumatra Volunteer Foundation. The marketing activities of the Sumatra Volunteer Foundation do not yet have a BPOM permit, so consumers and potential consumers feel safer when using goods with a BPOM certificate. This activity aims to develop the craft product business at the Sumatra Volunteer Foundation by obtaining a BPOM permit. Educational activities regarding BPOM were successfully carried out with the consideration that the product could be clinically tested.

Factors influencing the digital transformation of sales organizations in Indonesia

A model that can elaborate the interaction between research variables influencing digital transformation, especially on the performance of sales organizations in Fast-Moving Consumer Goods companies, is fundamental. It allows the decision-makers to take proper action for their companies' optimization. By using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to build a model that can describe the interaction between Leadership Model, Organizational Citizenship Behavior, and Sales Management in 346 respondents working in various Fast-moving Consumer Goods companies in Indonesia, the present study found the most respondents were from the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (40.7%). It was found that the Sales Director (50.0%) was the most responsible for digital transformation implementation within the sales organization. Most respondents answered that effectiveness in the company's Internal Business Processes was the primary goal of digital transformation (28.1%). Concerning the success parameters of the digital transformation, Business Processes were the prominent expression of successful implementation (19.4%), with Sales Automation (37.4%) as the main activity in their digital transformation. Three hypotheses with the variables of leadership models, organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), and sales management control, had proven to affect digital transformation positively. Later, in four hypotheses where sales organization performance was set as the dependent variable, it was found that the leadership model influenced organization performance with digital transformation as a mediator. Finally, the last three hypotheses, with variables of sales management control, organizational citizenship behavior, and leadership model, positively influenced organization performance through digital transformation as a mediating variable. Leaders in organizations who carry out digital transformation must ensure that their organizations can respond to disruptions related to the use of digital technology in order for an organization to achieve proper performance.

Experiences of Intersubjectivity and Agency in Human–Horse Relationships Differ Between Box- and Open-Shed-Stable Environments

ABSTRACT Human–horse relationships can be experienced in many ways and the horse companion can be given various roles, from a partner in action to a tool or commodity. How humans experience connection with horses and what kinds of roles are assigned to them may reflect or even depend on the real-life co-actions and environments. In this study, we assessed experiences of intersubjectivity in human–horse relationships, focusing particularly on whether and how agency and emotional and embodied intersubjectivity with the horse were discussed by horse owners. We conducted the study in two different stable environments, namely box stables and open-shed stables, that differ particularly in the horses’ possibilities to execute independent decision-making in their daily lives. We conducted semi-structured interviews of 25 horse owners and analyzed them using theory-guided qualitative content analysis for notions of agency and intersubjectivity. Overall, while there were only a few explicit accounts of embodied intersubjectivity in action, it was most explicitly apparent in descriptions of hacking and doing other things than riding. Additionally, intersubjectivity was apparent in descriptions of horse emotions. There were several differences in the horse owners’ accounts at the different stable environments. Respondents at the open-shed stables assigned agency more often to the horse or simultaneously themselves and the horse, discussed more often horse emotions, and emphasized hacking, playing, or just being with the horse as meaningful co-actions. At the box stables, accounts emphasizing competing, self-evidence of riding as the main activity, and human agency in co-action were more common. These results show that the management environment and forms of co-action are connected to the thoughts and views equestrians have on agency and experiences of intersubjectivity in horse–human relationships.

ФОРМИРОВАНИЕ СИСТЕМЫ СТАТИСТИЧЕСКИХ ПОКАЗАТЕЛЕЙ УРОВНЯ РАЗВИТИЯ АГРОПРОМЫШЛЕННОГО КОМПЛЕКСА В РЕГИОНАХ РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ

The purpose of this work is to analyze the development of the manufacturing sectors of the agro-industrial complex in the Russian Federation, taking into account regional specifications. The object of study is the agro-industrial complex of the Russian Federation and the regions. The subject of the study is the system of indicators of the agro–industrial complex for the period 2005-2022. The information base is represented by a set of statistical indicators of the agro-industrial complex and the economy of the subjects of the Russian Federation and the state as a whole, monitored by Rosstat, the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia, the Federal Treasury, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Energy. As a result of the work performed, a system of statistical indicators was formed, the use of which is possible both in further scientific research on the topic and in the executive authorities of the regions for conducting control sections, including for making recommendations on changing the plan of the main activity.

ИНИЦИАТИВЫ ВСЕМИРНОЙ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ ЗДРАВООХРАНЕНИЯ В СФЕРЕ ПОВЫШЕНИЯ БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ ПАЦИЕНТОВ И ИХ РЕАЛИЗАЦИЯ В РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ

Currently, patient safety is one of the most important areas of healthcare, and it requires global coordinated efforts. The term "patient safety" covers various aspects, including the prevention of errors and adverse events, minimising risks of infections associated with medical care, ensuring proper use of equipment and effective interaction between patients and medical staff. World Health Organization (WHO) as a specialized unit of the United Nations in the field of global health has a unique international position and authority. It collects and analyzes data from around the world, conducts research and consults member countries within its competence, including medical care safety. In the Russian Federation, the movement for patient safety is still in the process of formation, many medical organizations, when implementing modern principles of safe medical care, face a shortage of practical manuals and other methodological materials. This literature review is devoted to the analysis and systematization of WHO initiatives in the field of improving patient safety. The review pays special attention to WHO's practical recommendations for improving patient safety, which can be used in medical organizations. The review also provides an analytical assessment of the implementation of the main activities aimed to improve patient safety in the Russian Federation. Thus, this study will be interesting to a wide range of readers, especially health care managers and medical professionals who plan to implement the principles of safe medical care in their organizations.

Detection of activities in bathrooms through deep learning and environmental data graphics images

Automatic detection activities in indoor spaces has been and is a matter of great interest. Thus, in the field of health surveillance, one of the spaces frequently studied is the bathroom of homes and specifically the behaviour of users in the said space, since certain pathologies can sometimes be deduced from it. That is why, the objective of this study is to know if it is possible to automatically classify the main activities that occur within the bathroom, using an innovative methodology with respect to the methods used to date, based on environmental parameters and the application of machine learning algorithms, thus allowing privacy to be preserved, which is a notable improvement in relation to other methods. For this, the methodology followed is based on the novel application of a pre-trained convolutional network for classifying graphs resulting from the monitoring of the environmental parameters of a bathroom. The results obtained allow us to conclude that, in addition to being able to check whether environmental data are adequate for health, it is possible to detect a high rate of true positives (around 80%) in some of the most frequent and important activities, thus facilitating its automation in a very simple and economical way.

Kinetic parameters of Lactobacillus acidophilus growth in the lactic fermentation of non-centrifugal cane sugar agroindustry wastes

The use of sugarcane for the production of non-centrifugal cane sugar is one of the main economic activities in some areas of the central region of the state of Veracruz, México, however, this sector faces different social, techno-economic and environmental challenges. One of the most important problems affecting this agribusiness is the lack of adequate management of the waste generated in the process, mainly sugarcane scum (SCS) and mold wash water (MWW). Lactic fermentation is proposed as an alternative for the utilization of these wastes, since this process reduces the concentration of carbohydrates, producing lactic acid (LA) and increasing the nutrient content. An important aspect of the fermentation process is the knowledge of the kinetic parameters, since with these it is possible to carry out the scaling up. In the present work, the lactic fermentation of SCS and MWW was studied using the bacterium Lactobacillus acidophilus and the kinetic parameters were obtained with the Gompertz model and the Logistic model. The physicochemical characterization of the residues was carried out and the parameters of substrate consumption, lactic acid production and cell density were evaluated during fermentation of a 150 g SCS/L solution in a 0.5 L reactor. After 72 h of fermentation, a maximum growth of 7.63 log CFU/mL, a 50.32% carbohydrate consumption, and a maximum production of 7.56 g LA/L were obtained. For the Gompertz model, the parameters obtained were μmax=1.2420 h-1, λ=20.46 h y A=7.585 log CFU/mL, whereas for the Logistic model they were μmax=0.3214 h-1, λ=25.39 h y A=7.584 log CFU/mL. It was observed that both residues promote the development of the microorganism L. acidophilus, however, the kinetic parameters of μmax y λ indicates that it needs more time to adapt to the residues, so it will be necessary to implement strategies to optimize these values.

Review of Experimental Activities and Recent Developments of Spouted Bed Reactors at Different Operational Scales

Recent research advances and technological developments of spouted bed reactors (SBRs) have been discussed in this work. SBR has aroused increasing interest since their invention in 1955 due to its flexibility in processing different feedstocks and the high process yields that can be achieved due to its characteristic fluid dynamics. However, even though highly satisfactory results have been obtained at the laboratory scale for different applications (i.e., drying or thermochemical reactions, among others), their full implementation at an industrial level is still scarce, mainly due to the challenges encountered for their scale-up. In this work, an initial short description of SBR and configurations is followed by a review of the main experimental activities that have been conducted at different scales in the period 2013–2023. Advanced solutions such as multi-unit reactors and the use of rectangular geometries instead of the classical cylindrical ones have arisen as potential areas for further study and development to achieve a reliable implementation of the spouted bed technology at an industrial scale.

Формирование алгоритма перехода к бренду экосистемы в сфере телекоммуникационных услуг

The article presents an analysis of the concept of brand at the current stage of development of integration and communication processes with the widespread use of digital technologies. The issues of transition to the ecosystem brand are considered. The main activities of companies operating in the field of telecommunications services in the field of transition to the ecosystem brand are analyzed. The concept of the “ecosystem center” and the features of its formation and functioning in companies providing telecommunications services are considered. The recommended algorithm of actions is formulated, which can be used by companies operating in the telecommunications services system when switching to a personality-oriented communication system of brand interaction with the consumer.

Development of Resource Conservation Technologies and Complexes of Machines for Cultivation of Vegetable Crops

The main activities of leading foreign companies are currently the development and production of agricultural machinery, taking into account new legislative requirements both for agricultural production in general and directly for the machinery itself. There is a clear trend towards the widest use of modern computer and information technologies in the design of agricultural machines, which allows to increase productivity and quality of technological operations while reducing operating costs, as well as improve working conditions of employees, management and control of work performed. Intensive resource conservation technologies are technologies related to the introduction of the latest high-performance combines, tractors and a plume of wide-range or combined agricultural units. The next type of resource conservation technologies is based on knowledge and respect for the laws of nature. These are resource conservation technologies through the biologization of agriculture. Resource conservation activities in crop production are based on the complete restoration of land fertility after the removal of nutrients from the soil by agricultural crops. This is ensured by the integrated application of organic and inorganic fertilizers, green manure, bacterial fertilizers, as well as peat and sapropel. All crop production technologies should be resource conservation, environmentally balanced, and have a pronounced zonal character. Moisture conservation technologies in crop production have great prospects due to the development of new crop rotations with an expanded set of crops.

Analysis of the Relationship Between the Factors of Enterprises Foreign Economic Activity and Tax Revenues to Regional Budgets

The article analyzes the main factors of foreign economic activity, which can affect the results of basic indicators values of the industrial enterprises main activity. The direct mathematical dependence between the change in revenues from export sales and the dynamics of profit indicators before taxation and value added of sold products is revealed. A few data on the structure of costs and starting values of organizations’ incomes, which are necessary for the forecast analysis, are listed. The direct dependence between the performance indicators of enterprises and revenues to the regions tax budgets depending on the nature of the foreign economic factor that affects export revenues is substantiated. The purpose of the analysis is to create a tool for forecasting changes in pre-tax profit and value added under the influence of changing prices and sales volumes on foreign markets. The created model contains four final formulas, which were expressed using the generally accepted theory of financial management with the addition of new indicators for the non-standard situations analysis. The presented technology of forecasting the dynamics of tax revenues (based on changes in the indicators that are their tax base) can be used by analytical bodies of regional authorities to assess the consequences of the foreign economic risks implementation and develop recommendations for the federal budget to reallocate funds for support the expenditures of those subjects of the federation, which will experience the most pronounced impact of this phenomenon.