Modern Communication Technologies Research Articles

Learning Object Repository Systems and Their Use in Greek Education

The article explores how modern information and communication technologies (ICT) enhance educational quality, emphasizing the importance of pedagogically sound applications to address the limitations of traditional educational systems. While ICT offers considerable benefits, such as increased engagement and support for collaborative learning, the integration of these technologies in education presents challenges, including disparities in access and shifts in learning methodologies. The concept of Open Educational Resources (OER) is highlighted as a transformative approach, allowing for the creation and sharing of diverse learning materials, which are crucial for promoting accessibility and equity in education. Additionally, the article discusses organizational development issues that schools face when implementing ICT, such as the need for adaptive school cultures, leadership support, and the alignment of school policies with ICT goals. It also presents examples of digital repositories and open educational resources, like Project Gutenberg, ERIC, and MIT OpenCourseWare, which provide free access to educational materials. In Greece, national projects have introduced digital literacy into the school community, with repositories such as Photodentro LOR and Helios, supporting the country's commitment to digital education aligned with the European Digital Agenda.

Participation rate and yield of indirect cascade genetic screening for familial hypercholesterolemia using a web-based communication platform (CATCH): a randomized multicenter implementation trial

Abstract Introduction Cascade genetic screening for familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is poorly performed when direct contact with relatives by health professionals is not allowed. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of implementing a web-based communication platform in a large-scale cascade genetic screening program for FH, while maintaining the confidentiality of indirect family contacts. Methods The CATCH study is a prospective randomized open-label multicenter implementation trial that promotes family cascade genetic screening in Swiss adults older than 16 years with a newly diagnosed pathogenic variant for FH. Each family was randomly assigned to a multigenerational indirect cascade genetic screening (1:1) either via the possibility to use of a web-based platform designed to send pre-prepared text messages or emails, and allowing to connect to a specialized clinical center, or a cascade genetic screening via the local recommended procedure. The primary outcome was the 6-month participation rate of relatives, defined as the number of genetic tests performed within 6 months after referral, over the number of eligible relatives for screening, i.e. living first-degree relatives aged 5 years or older. The secondary outcome was the 6-month yield of positive genetic tests, defined as the number of positive tests over the number of eligible relatives. Both outcome estimates were obtained after accounting for family clusters. Results Between 11/20 and 12/23, we enrolled 221 adults with a phenotype of FH for genetic testing, with 87 of them having confirmed genetic FH, corresponding to a total of 401 eligible relatives for cascade screening, with 102 relatives eventually undergoing genetic testing. Among the 87 index cases with genetic FH, 44 were randomly assigned to the web-based platform screening, and 43 were assigned to the local procedure screening. The 6-month participation rate of relatives was 71 of the 218 eligible relatives (29% [95% CI 21–38]) for the web-based platform screening, and 31 of the 183 eligible relatives (14% [95% CI 8–23]) for the local procedure screening (odds ratio (OR) 2.46 [95% CI 1.22–4.98]), p=0.012) (Figure). Similarly, the yield of detection of positive relatives was higher for the web-based platform screening, (16% [95% CI 11–23]) compared to the local procedure screening (7% [95% CI 4–13]), with OR of 2.43 [95% CI 1.11–5.30], p=0.026. Among the 55 positive relatives identified with genetic FH within 6-months, 13.0% were younger than 18 years, 25.5% were current smokers, and 56.0% were not using any lipid-lowering drugs. Conclusions The effectiveness of cascade genetic screening for FH was approximately doubled by integrating a web-based platform that facilitates family communication and access to specialized clinical centers. Modern communication technology is well suited to be integrated in large-scale indirect genetic screening programs to increase the early identification of patients at high cardiovascular risk.

Clean energy transition in rural Bangladesh: Challenges in adoption and impact

ABSTRACT At the household level, the solar photovoltaic (PV) system is an off-grid clean energy source with significant poverty reduction potential, thereby contributing to the attainment of several sustainable development goals. Nevertheless, there has been limited adoption of renewable or clean energy technologies in Bangladesh. At present, renewable energy sources account for only 3% of the country’s electricity generation. This study thus investigates the drivers of solar PV adoption and the impact of this on household income and poverty in Bangladesh. We present an econometric analysis of data from the International Food Policy Research Institute’s Bangladesh Integrated Household Survey, 2020. Our findings indicate that only 5.51% of the sample households adopted solar PV, with the likelihood of adoption 3.8% higher in households with a mobile phone, 1.7% higher in households with internet access, and 2.8% higher among homeowners. However, the government’s programs to expand the electricity grid made the delivery of solar PV by partner organizations less competitive. Our analysis reveals that the adoption of solar PV has a positive effect on household income of between 9.31% and 13.50%. The poverty gap is likely to decrease by around 20% to 26% due to adoption. These findings are pertinent to ongoing policy development efforts targeted at increasing the adoption of renewable energy to meet the sustainable development goals. Solar PV information could be potentially disseminated through mass media and modern communication technologies that require internet access. Furthermore, increasing the installation of solar PV systems in rented houses may promote the adoption of solar PV. It is imperative to implement policies that provide incentives for the installation and utilization of solar PV.

STATE POLICY ON THE PROTECTION OF NATIONAL INTERESTS OF UKRAINE IN THE INTERNET ENVIRONMENT

The article deals with the problem of protecting Ukraine’s national interests in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The Internet is seen as a space for free expression of opinions, but often turns into a battlefield in the information war. The article analyses the processes of informatisation of society and the increase in the number of Internet users. The impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on the leading Internet providers and their political position is analysed. Today, Ukraine enjoys great support from leading campaigns in this area, but the aggressor country is heavily funding war propaganda. Attention is drawn to the results of statistics on cyberattacks on state institutions and the public by the Russian Federation. It is emphasised that today state institutions, business and society in Ukraine have united to counteract the negative information influence of Russia. The structure of Ukraine’s national interests, priorities and directions of their protection are defined. Attention is focused on the fact that the Russian Federation attracts teenagers to extremist and radical activities on the Internet. This additionally threatens the national interests of Ukraine. Prevention of extremism is based on raising the legal, political and general culture of citizens, and shaping a positive image of the state. Therefore, it is justified to take effective measures to develop a powerful ideological corpus, a national idea and to adhere to the state’s strategy for European integration. It is important to establish systematic training of specialists in the field of protecting national interests in the Internet space, enhancing the preventive role of the media and institutional support for analytical, educational, propaganda and information work. The author proposes to develop a powerful system of countering manipulations on the Internet, which will include technological developments, methodology, ideological component, legal and educational measures. The author substantiates the necessity of Ukraine’s integration into the global and regional European information space; integration into international information and telecommunication systems and organisations; modernisation and certain changes in the information policy; improvement of legislation on harmonisation of national legislation with international standards; introduction of modern information and communication technologies into public administration processes, etc.

Unleashing the potential of eHealth in outpatient cancer care for patients undergoing immunotherapy-a quantitative study considering patients' needs and current healthcare challenges.

The use of online information and communication is globally increasing in the healthcare sector. In addition to known benefits in other medical fields, possible specific potentials of eHealth lie in the monitoring of oncological patients undergoing outpatient therapy. Specifically, the treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) requires intensive monitoring due to various possible negative side effects. The present study explores cancer patients' perspectives on eHealth and demonstrates how eHealth applications, from the patients' point of view, can contribute to further improving outpatient immunotherapy. Our multicenter study was executed at the university hospitals in Bonn and Aachen. A structured questionnaire was distributed to patients receiving outpatient immunotherapy. Contents addressed were (1) the patients' attitude towards eHealth applications, (2) the use of modern information and communications technologies (ICT) in (2a) everyday life and (2b) health-related information search including eHealth literacy, (3) the use of internet-enabled devices as well as (4) socio-demographic data. 164 patients were included in the study, of whom 39.0% were female and 61.0% male and the average age was 62.8 years. Overall, there was a high distribution of internet-enabled devices for everyday use and a great interest in integrating eHealth applications into outpatient immunotherapy. The assessment of eHealth potentials significantly depended on age. The younger participants demonstrated a broader use of modern ICT and a higher affinity for its use in outpatient immunotherapy. In some aspects, level of education and gender were also relevant factors influencing the patients' view on eHealth. This study demonstrates the potential for further integration of eHealth applications into outpatient immunotherapy from the patients' perspective. It indicates a dependency on age and educational level for the further integration of eHealth into patient care in oncology. Due to particular patient needs regarding age, level of education, gender and other subgroups, specific education and training as well as target-group specific digital health interventions are necessary to fully utilize the potentials of eHealth for outpatient immunotherapy. Future studies are required to specifically address target-group specific usability of eHealth applications and eHealth literacy, as well as to address information security and data protection.

Understanding Sunda Wiwitan of Cigugur Kuningan: Between Tradition, Culture, and Adaptation of Communication Technology

Sunda Wiwitan in Cigugur Kuningan maintains respect for the traditions and customs that have become an integral part of their culture. Along with the rapid changes in communication technology, this research aims to understand the development of communication technology in the Sunda Wiwitan community and how they preserve their culture in the modern era. The research method used is a descriptive qualitative approach, which includes interviews and content analysis to collect data from key informants. The results showed that although the Sunda Wiwitan community quickly adopted modern communication technologies such as the internet and social media, they also needed time to develop appropriate usage guidelines. The research revealed that despite accepting new technologies, this community remains committed to maintaining their cultural values and traditions, including the use of traditional clothing to filter out foreign cultural influences. The implications of this research suggest that technology can be integrated into indigenous communities without erasing their cultural identity. In addition, the results highlight the importance of developing policies that support cultural preservation in the midst of technological advances, as well as the need for education for community members to optimize the use of technology while still respecting and preserving their traditions.

XAIEnsembleTL-IoV: A new eXplainable Artificial Intelligence ensemble transfer learning for zero-day botnet attack detection in the Internet of Vehicles

The Internet of Vehicles (IoV) is a network of interconnected vehicles that use modern communication technologies to communicate with each other and the surrounding infrastructure. The IoV is a novel network that experiences a continuous emergence and evolution of various forms of attacks. This research addresses the growing challenge of detecting zero-day botnet attacks within the IoV, a complex network that enhances real-time communication among vehicles and surrounding infrastructure to improve traffic management, safety, and driving experiences. Traditional machine learning-based intrusion detection systems (IDS) for IoV face two key limitations: the requirement for large labeled datasets and the “black box” issue, where the reasoning behind model decisions is not transparent, reducing user and stakeholder confidence. To solve these problems, this research proposes an eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) Ensemble Transfer Learning (TL) model specifically for detecting zero-day attacks in IoV. The proposed model integrates deep Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP), providing transparency and making decisions understandable to cybersecurity professionals. Additionally, the model employs hybrid bidirectional long-short-term memory with autoencoders (BiLAE) to reduce the dimensionality of IoV network traffic, improving computational efficiency. It also uses Barnacle Mating Optimizer (BMO) to optimize the hyper-parameters of deep learning models such as ResNet, Inception, Inception ResNet, and MobileNet Convolution neural network-transfer learning architecture (CNN-TL), enhancing detection capabilities without needing vast amounts of labeled data. Experimental results showed that the model performed with an accuracy of 100 %, precision of 100 %, recall of 100 %, F1-score of 100 %, and Matthew Correlation Coefficient of 100 % in binary-class situations for internal vehicular (CAN) networks and achieved 99.88 % accuracy and similarly high metrics in multi-class scenarios for external vehicular networks(N-BaIoT). Compared to state-of-the-art techniques, the model proved to be more effective in detecting zero-day botnet attacks, reducing reliance on large datasets. Unlike traditional black-box models, the XAI component of the ensemble model offers insight into the decision-making process. It allows network administrators and security experts to understand how specific patterns in the data contribute to detection, making the system more transparent. The solution is highly adaptable and scalable for real-time application, designed to operate efficiently even on IoV gateway electronic control units with limited computational power.

АУДИТ ВПРОВАДЖЕННЯ РИНКОВОЇ ІНФРАСТРУКТУРИ В УПРАВЛІННІ КЛАСТЕРАМИ

The article discusses the issue of the audit of the implementation of market infrastructure in the management of clusters, which is a key factor for increasing the efficiency and competitiveness of modern economic systems. Special attention is paid to the analysis of the role of market infrastructure in the development of cluster formations, which contributes to the synergistic effect, the unification of enterprises, scientific institutions and other business entities to achieve common economic goals. The purpose of the study is to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the implementation of market infrastructure in the management of clusters and determine its impact on the effectiveness of the functioning of cluster formations in Kyrgyzstan. The main attention is paid to the assessment of infrastructural components, such as logistics, financial services, information technology and institutional support, which ensure the competitiveness and sustainable development of clusters in the conditions of the modern economy. The object of the study is auditing methods and approaches used to assess the effectiveness and risks of innovative processes of introducing market infrastructure during cluster management. Research methods: logical and meaningful method, methods of comparison, systematization, induction and deduction, analysis and synthesis, coefficient method. The main hypothesis of the follow-up. Effective implementation of market infrastructure in the management of clusters has a positive effect on their competitiveness and ability to adapt to changes in the economic environment. The lack of proper infrastructure or its shortcomings can significantly limit the potential of clusters in achieving a synergistic effect and ensuring economic growth. Present of the main material. The authors highlight methodological approaches to the audit of market infrastructure, including the analysis of key indicators such as logistics and information networks, financial and credit institutions, as well as government support mechanisms. The importance of conducting an audit to identify problematic aspects that prevent the efficient functioning of clusters and to develop recommendations for their elimination is substantiated. Originality and practical significance. The study also presents the results of the analysis of the impact of the introduction of market infrastructure on the competitiveness of clusters and their ability to adapt to changes in the global economic environment. The issue of integration of cluster strategies with regional and national economic plans was separately considered. On the basis of empirical data, conclusions are drawn regarding the effectiveness of infrastructure changes and practical recommendations for improving cluster management are offered. Conclusions and prospects for further research. The results of the audit show that the market infrastructure is a key element that contributes to the development of clusters, ensuring effective interaction between the participants of the cluster association, improving their productivity and competitive advantages. Implementation of infrastructure components, such as modern information and communication technologies, financial institutions and logistics networks, is crucial for improving the efficiency of cluster management.

Thermosetting boron-nitride-filled polybutadiene composites with enhanced thermal conductivity and good dielectric properties

Low dielectric materials with high heat dissipation, low dielectric constant (Dk), and dielectric loss (Df) are urgently needed to address the issues of signal cross-talk and heat accumulation arising from the rapid development of modern communication technology and the integration of microelectronics. Polyolefins, as hydrocarbon polymers, have shown significant potential due to their excellent low dielectric properties. However, their low polarity and flexible structures limit their thermal conductivity and thermomechanical properties. In this study, we developed a method to prepare thermosetting polybutadiene composites with enhanced thermal conductivity and good dielectric performance by modifying hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) with thermally cross-linkable benzocyclobutene (BCB) groups. The properties of the resulting composites were tailored by varying the filler content. With 30 wt% of the BCB-modified filler, the composite (HB-30) displayed excellent dielectric properties (Dk = 2.70; Df = 1.67 × 10−3 @10 GHz). Meanwhile, it exhibited a thermal conductivity of 0.615 W/mK at 35 °C, which was 7.1 times that of pristine HTPB. It also showed significantly enhanced mechanical properties and thermal stability with a storage modulus of 2.7 GPa and a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 208.5 °C. This method proved effective for preparing polymer composites with enhanced thermal conductivity, heat resistance, mechanical properties and good dielectric properties, making them suitable for high-frequency communication applications.

SOME ASPECTS OF ACTIONS TO RESPONSE TO EXTERNAL SECURITY THREATS AND CRISES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

The European Union is taking action in various areas of security to improve its ability to respond to crises and increase its resilience to future challenges, so this article examines the evolution of crisis response actions of the European Union countries in the face of challenges and threats in a rapidly changing geopolitical environment in relation to European security. This, in turn, is reflected in the speed of decision-making by the competent associations of the European Union regarding legal regulation that corresponds to the current situation. The authors identify and analyze the main directions of action and response measures of member countries in the legal field. In this context, the authors pay special attention to the consideration of the European Union's security policy in relation to hybrid threats from neighboring states, ensuring cyber security, the use of modern information communication technologies, as well as mediation tools in the prevention of these threats. The authors analyze issues of cooperation between the European Union and the United Nations in the field of peacekeeping and military missions. The authors also touched on the specifics of lessons learned from addressing the consequences of crisis situations and the impact of the EU countries’ integrated approach to responding to crisis situations in the context of the past pandemic, as well as the impact of hybrid threats. The results of this study show that the relevant institutions of the European Union skillfully, promptly and effectively coordinate decision-making on response and management in crisis situations, and as part of improving the anti-crisis management strategy, taking measures to prevent the consequences of crisis situations in the EU area (hybrid threats, illegal migration, terrorism, organized crime, etc.)

THE METHOD OF INCREASING THE ACTIVITY OF THE 5-6 THЕ GRADERS IN THE TEACHING OF "EDUCATION" SUBJECT

The article discusses the use of pedagogical technologies, interactive methods, educational games, and modern information and communication technologies in teaching the subject of upbringing in grades 5-6 by teachers. These approaches help students to think independently, expand their creative research and logical thinking, connect what they have learned in the classroom with real life, and increase their interest.

Features of the organization of postgraduate education of doctors in wartime conditions in Ukraine

Difficult wartime conditions in Ukraine made adjustments to the organization of the educational process of medical institutions, including postgraduate education of doctors. The modern educational program at the postgraduate stage is aimed at improving theoretical and practical skills of trainee doctors, increasing their readiness for independent professional activity, deepening knowledge of the chosen specialty, and sharing experience. The article describes the advantages and disadvantages of online training of doctors, highlights the possibilities of using modern information technologies in the organization of postgraduate education of doctors. Information is provided about modern information and communication technologies that can be used in conducting online classes for doctors at the postgraduate stage of training, such as simulation technologies, workshop, gamification, others. The integration of digital transformations into the educational process expands the possibilities of delivering educational material in wartime conditions, but requires self-improvement from teachers regarding the ability to apply modern information technologies.

Flexible MXene/CuNWs/Tartaric Acid composite fabrics constructed by stacking assembly for Electromagnetic Interference Shielding

With the rapid development of modern communication technology, the exploration of flexible wearable shielding fabrics with exceptional electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance has emerged as an utmost priority to safeguard both human beings and electronic devices from the detrimental effects of electromagnetic radiation. Herein, a scalable multilayer stacking assembly method is proposed to prepare uniform MXene/CuNWs/Tartaric Acid (TA) composites-coated fabrics. MXene, as a new type of material, can achieve higher electron and ion transfer rates. However, it is prone to oxidation in air, leading to poor stability. Benefiting from the synergistic effect of tartaric acid, the MXene/CuNWs/TA-coated fabrics exhibit certain oxidation stability and corrosion resistance, while retaining the inherent flexibility and breathability of natural polymer textiles. Furthermore, the multilayer stacking structure works perfectly with the MXene/CuNWs conductive network, enabling multiple reflections and absorptions of electromagnetic waves internally, thus effectively diminishing energy transmission. The modified fabrics exhibit a low sheet resistance of 3.25 ± 0.12 Ω/sq and a good EMI shielding performance of 41.2 dB at X-band. Therefore, MXene/CuNWs/TA fabrics with high shielding performance are expected to reach their potential in wearable electronic products.

Research on the influence mechanism of college students' mainstream consciousness leadership under the background of mobile Internet

In recent years, the rapid innovation and popularization of mobile communication and new media technologies have brought about profound changes in the mode of social information dissemination. For college students whose ideological values are still in the critical period of development and change, how to enhance their mainstream ideological leadership in the mobile Internet era and guide the ideological and behavioral development of college students with socialist ideology guided by Marxism has become a common focus of attention in society and academia. At present, the research on the mainstream ideological leadership of college students in the academic community mainly focuses on the negative impact of modern communication technologies such as new media on the ideological work of colleges and universities and the corresponding countermeasures, while the theoretical core and internal composition of the mainstream ideological leadership, as well as the deep impact logic, positive and negative impacts and systematic improvement paths of the technological and social changes in the mobile Internet era on the mainstream ideological leadership of college students are still insufficient. Therefore, this study aims to go beyond the research perspective of traditional college ideological education management, deeply explore the basic connotation and force composition of the mainstream ideological leadership, systematically analyze the deep impact logic of the mobile Internet era on the mainstream ideological leadership of college students, sort out its improvement opportunities, and explore the structural dilemmas in it, and propose a systematic path for improving the mainstream ideological leadership of college students.

Use of Digital Technologies for the Conduct of Work in the Government System Based on the Demans of the Current Times

This article deals with the issues of ensuring the safety of the population in the residences of citizens. It is planned to implement an electronic platform that allows for quick collection and analysis of information on the technical and social condition of residential areas. These strategies focus on digital transformation in the national economy, industry, and society. In Uzbekistan, significant steps have been taken to implement modern information and communication technologies (ICT) in public administration, education, healthcare, and agriculture. One notable challenge addressed in this study is the management of carbon monoxide poisoning, fire hazards, and explosions during the heating season. The research highlights the limitations of manual data collection, including the risk of data loss, difficulty in locating information, and inefficiencies in processing critical safety data. The program processes data in less than a minute, facilitating more efficient emergency management and preventive measures. This system exemplifies the role of digital technology in enhancing public safety and optimizing government operations.

Designing an Entrepreneurial Model of Remote Communication Technologies in Clinical Medicine: A Qualitative Study

Background: Today, information technology has permeated all fields, transforming numerous aspects of our lives, while entrepreneurship has become increasingly essential. In medicine, the integration of this technology is becoming crucial. Objectives: This research focuses on designing an entrepreneurial model that leverages modern communication and information technologies in the health sector. By capitalizing on created opportunities, entrepreneurs can drive innovation, leading to cost savings, time efficiency, and greater access to health and medical services for people everywhere. Methods: In this qualitative study, the sample included faculty members from Iran University of Medical Sciences, selected through purposive sampling. Following this, the sample was expanded using snowball sampling, introduced through key experts, to include additional informed individuals. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews with faculty members, experts, and knowledgeable individuals who were willing to participate. The interviews continued until data saturation was reached. Data analysis was carried out using content analysis, with coding performed using MAXQDA10 software. Results: After coding and identifying the main and sub-themes, content analysis was completed, resulting in 10 main themes and 57 sub-themes. All interviewees highlighted sub-themes such as "infrastructure and hardware," "internet bandwidth," "access to electronic health records," "equipment and supplies," "data privacy," "qualified physicians," and "counseling." Conclusions: When designing an entrepreneurial model in any region or country, it is essential to consider the existing needs and conditions, environmental demands, population characteristics, culture, habits, preferences of service recipients, infrastructural capabilities, governing laws, and security issues. Additionally, the model must incorporate specific leadership, management, and oversight to ensure it becomes a responsive and effective system.

A comprehensive investigation of an LTE-enabled smart door system using the Arduino UNO

Traditional residential security systems frequently lack remote access and real-time reaction capabilities, necessitating home automation security technology developments. With the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), solutions such as the Smart Door are prepared to transcend these constraints by leveraging modern communication technology. The article aims to develop, implement, and evaluate an LTE-enabled Smart Door system built on the Arduino Uno platform. The goal is to improve home security by offering keyless entry, real-time surveillance, and remote operation, increasing user convenience and system reliability. We created a Smart Door system with an Arduino Uno microcontroller and LTE connectivity. The system's performance was measured using a variety of measures, including response time, reliability, and security against unwanted access. Testing included simulation environments and real-world scenarios to ensure the system's operational efficacy and security. The Smart Door system performed admirably, with a reaction time of less than two seconds in 95% of commands and strong resilience to brute force attacks. It effectively incorporated keyless entry, live video streaming, and real-time alarms, all controlled by a smartphone app, demonstrating the system's dependability and efficiency in live scenarios. The LTE-enabled Smart Door system considerably improves over traditional home security options. It provides enhanced security, simple operation, and more outstanding remote management capabilities by utilizing IoT technology. These enhancements fill essential holes in existing systems, providing a safer, dependable, and convenient answer for modern home security requirements.

Person's Temperament and Character Type Detection Based on Modern Information and Communication Technologies

The popularity of e-learning systems is growing because of their effectiveness. It is necessary to adjust learning/training scenarios for every trainee, using advanced information and communication technologies (ICT) tools to achieve this. However, it is not often respected that people have different perceptions of information. A learning system should consider the temperament and character of an applicant/trainee. Since people with the same temperament have approximately the same ability to perceive and process information, as well as similar labour skills, the learning system must first determine the applicant's temperament and after that, based on this, determine how long it will take him to absorb a certain amount of information from the training course. Testing is used for recognition of the applicant’s temperament. But traditional tests–questionnaires are long and the applicant can manipulate with answers. Apart from those, there are other types of tests: color tests, picture tests, figures tests, drawing tests, etc. The advantage of such tests is that they are based on the subconscious processes and thus, are more free from manipulations with answers, take far less time, and less depend on the mood swings. Moreover, according to S. Dellinger, the applicant's temperament type represents a fuzzy set, because a person has one dominant temperament and one secondary temperament, with relevantly different credibility levels. This means, that the determination of a person’s temperament should be implemented in a fuzzy environment, not in a classical environment. For this reason, we want to implement the first part of the teaching system, using this paper. Particularly, we aimed to create a quick and free-from-manipulations test-program, which would allow, determine the type of applicant’s temperament for e-learning individualization needs and determin the innate working skills. The specific fuzzy method is applied. The program was successfully tested on different people.

A SWOT Analysis of Organizations in the Agri-Food Chain Sector from the Northern Region of Portugal Using the PESTEL and MEETHS Frameworks

Research on modern agri-food chains aims to enhance flexibility by analyzing supply chain aspects to identify improvement opportunities. A SWOT analysis of 39 agri-food sector organizations using a SWOT analysis organized using the PESTEL and MEETHS categories was conducted to evaluate the stakeholders’ needs in this sector of activity in Northern Portugal. Logistic regressions were used to compute inferential statistics, which were complemented with a qualitative analysis. Cooperatives and primary sector companies often claim superior product quality without clear evidence, while corporations integrated into competitive national markets, like those with smoked products, adapt better to dietary trends. Small- and medium-sized enterprises struggle with competitive wages, leading to high turnover and difficulty retaining skilled workers. High costs hinder many organizations, particularly cooperatives, from adopting modern communication technologies affecting competitiveness. Challenges include identifying market opportunities and managing global competition for raw materials, like wild fish. Fishing and meat sectors depend heavily on modern distribution and are dominated by large retailers. Low labor costs boost competitiveness but reflect the struggle to add value. Larger organizations are more optimistic though many face challenges with the cost and volatility of key products, like pork and milk. This study offers the following key recommendations: invest in technology and innovation while balancing short-term gains with long-term sustainability; strengthen strategic planning and collaboration among corporations, cooperatives, associations, and academic institutions; and adapt to regulatory changes, invest in market and technological capabilities, and address resource limitations. Research and collaboration with policymakers and academic institutions will support tailored solutions, enabling the sector to anticipate challenges and capitalize on opportunities.

THE ADVANTAGES OF MODERN COMMUNICATION IN THE LEADERSHIP ACTIVITY OF THE LEADERSHIP STAFF OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS (HEI): EXAMPLES FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES

In the 21st century, the leadership of higher education institutions (HEIs) faces increasingly complex challenges due to rapid technological advancements and global interconnectedness. Modern communication technologies offer unprecedented opportunities for leadership to enhance the efficiency, collaboration, and decision-making processes within institutions. This article explores the advantages of modern communication technologies in the leadership activities of HEI leaders, drawing examples from foreign countries where innovative communication tools have been successfully integrated into leadership practices.