Numerous Definitions Research Articles

Noise sensitivity model- a qualitative investigation

Noise sensitivity is a concept used to explain the different effects of noise on people's health. Numerous definitions of noise sensitivity have been proposed, though none are universally accepted. Hence, a "system model of noise sensitivity" was developed, suggesting that noise sensitivity may contain a set of factors. Based on this, we conducted semi-structured interviews to investigate noise sensitivity and its factors and used qualitative research methods to analyse the data. More factors of noise sensitivity were discovered, and a revised system model was developed. This expanded model provides a more complete definition of noise sensitivity. We hope the improved understanding could lead to identifying ways of coping with noise issues. In the future, more diverse and individualized approaches could be developed to address the many different aspects of noise sensitivity.

Digital twins for engineering structures—An Industry 4.0 perspective

AbstractThe term “digital twin” is becoming increasingly prevalent in both research and politics with regard to infrastructure structures. Industry is making significant advancements in the fields of automation and autonomy. While numerous definitions are in circulation, some of which are identical, many are similar in nature. This work examines the digital twin from its original industry perspective and considers its relevance to the constructional engineering sector. The objective of this study is to provide an overview of the current approaches in the Industry 4.0 and constructional engineering industry, examining the associated technical opportunities and challenges. The study compares the definitions, requirements and projects executed in this field. The technologies under examination are contrasted on the basis of their position within the data model. The preliminary findings suggest that some solutions for Industry 4.0 have already been developed for the construction engineering sector. However, it must be acknowledged that some solutions have yet to be fully validated.

A Novel Approach for Identifying and Assessing MOR‐Based CMIP6 Model for Hydrological Analysis in an Ungauged Watershed

ABSTRACTThe identification of the onset and retreat dates of the monsoon season is a crucial and intricate phenomenon, given its annual spatiotemporal variability. The monsoon season contributes significantly to rainfall, replenishing water sources and hydrological systems but causes hydrological extremes, especially for the high‐altitude watersheds in Southeast Asia. Global Circulation Model (GCM)‐Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6)‐based rainfall and temperature data are helpful for adequately representing present and future climate scenarios. However, the usability of uncorrected GCM‐CMIP6 datasets needs to be assessed regionally. This study focuses on identifying the best‐suited GCM‐CMIP6 based on the monsoon onset (MO) and retreat (MR) dates along with other climatological temporal parameters. A numerical definition for MO and MR has been formulated to find the best‐suited GCM‐CMIP6 (i.e., CMCC‐ESM2). In this context, runoff simulation is carried out using the meteorological inputs of the monsoon onset‐retreat (MOR)‐based best‐suited GCM to evaluate its usability. A multi‐model simulation approach has been carried out for runoff estimation based on observed datasets to find a better‐suited hydrological model. The proposed overall methodology is tested in a hydrological extreme‐prone ungauged watershed (i.e., Ranikhola). CMCC‐ESM2 and SSP2‐4.5 has been identified as best‐suited SSP based on statistical evolution (R2 [0.693], NSE [0.662] and RSR [0.581]) for future daily runoff prediction. Future hydrological analysis shows that the average monsoon peak runoff magnitude will increase from the calibrated period (2015–2020) by 18.01% in the coming years (2021–2049).

Understanding "Childhood Poly-Victimization" to help uncover abuse during child investigative interviewing: a systematic review.

It is well established that child victims are some of the most challenging populations to interview. Indeed, children tend to feel ashamed, scared or in denial, leading to difficulties for law enforcement when gathering information, and subsequently with prosecuting offenders. Moreover, with crimes against children increasing, it is common for interviewed victims to have experienced several abuses (poly-victimization). Thus, the main goals of this study are to (1) identify the facets that are included in poly-victimization, in order to (2) provide a clear definition that can be used by law enforcement during child interviews, which could lead to (3) a better identification of cases of abuse to maximize safeguarding and protect children. A systematic review was used to establish the differences in conceptualizations of poly-victimization as well as the measurements chosen by research to measure this concept. The current systematic review included research articles on childhood poly-victimization using a quantitative measuring instrument published as of 2007, that focused on populations under 18 years of age. The findings were divided into (1) conceptual dimensions, (2) characteristics of studies' populations and (3) measures and psychometrics properties. It was found that research used various terms for poly-victimization, yet with numerous definitions implying differences in number of abuses, time frame, and mental health aspects to be considered in the identification of poly-victimization. The included papers (n = 6) were from Europe, Asia, and the United States. Over half of the studies used the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (JVQ) but adapted either (i) to the study's population, (ii) possible answers, (iii) wording of questions, or (iv) by the removal of questions. Our findings highlight the need for a more theoretically coherent definition of childhood poly-victimization. Questions regarding number of abuses, time consideration (past year vs. lifetime), mental health and severity of abuse should be addressed to develop a unified definition of poly-victimization. Rapport-based interviews should be the focus to uncover the truth and to avoid a secondary trauma in the crisis of a child's disclosure of abuse. A new definition of "Childhood Poly-Victimization" is proposed by the authors as well as a "Decision Tree for Identifying Childhood Poly-Victimization" designed to be used by law enforcement during child investigative interviews.

Development of a rating model for assessing the condition of steel railway bridges

Steel railway bridges play a crucial role in global transportation networks, yet their operational lifespan is often compromised by factors such as corrosion, aging, exposure conditions, and environmental challenges. Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems are widely employed to extend the longevity of these bridges. However, existing SHM models typically have limitations, as they tend to focus on a limited set of parameters, and their reliance on qualitative definitions introduces subjectivity into the evaluation process. To address these shortcomings, this research aims to develop an innovative priority weight-based condition rating model. Casual Factors (CF), laboratory and Non-Destructive Tests (NDT), Visual Inspection (VI), Environmental Conditions (EC), and Type of Element (TOE), were identified as main parameters to the condition assessment. Then, the research gathered opinions from 100 experts to establish the importance of these parameters. By averaging expert opinions and ensuring a high level of consistency (i.e. below 10%), the study aimed to minimize subjectivity. Numerical definitions were introduced to the model to enhance objectivity. The Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) was employed to calculate appropriate weightings for the identified parameters, resulting in a comprehensive equation that encapsulates the main factors influencing the condition of steel railway bridges.To validate the developed rating model, a case study was conducted, analyzing seventeen railway bridges located in various regions of Sri Lanka. Notably, the model takes into account physical, geographical, and environmental conditions, making it applicable to diverse locations worldwide. This innovative approach contributes to the enhancement of steel railway bridge maintenance strategies, promoting their sustained and reliable operation on a global scale.

Talar and Calcaneal Coordinate Axes Definitions across Foot Pathologies

The understanding of foot and ankle biomechanics is improving as new technology provides more detailed information about the motion of foot and ankle bones with biplane fluoroscopy, as well as the ability to analyze the hindfoot under weightbearing conditions with weightbearing computed tomography. Three-dimensional anatomical coordinate systems are necessary to describe the 3D alignment and kinematics of the foot and ankle. The lack of standard coordinate systems across research study sites can significantly alter experimental data analyses used for pre-surgical evaluation and post-operative outcome assessments. Clinical treatment paradigms are changing based on the expanding knowledge of complex pes planovalgus morphologies or progressive collapsing foot deformity, which is present in both neurologic and non-neurologic populations. Four patient cohorts were created from 10 flexible PCFD, 10 rigid PCFD, 10 adult cerebral palsy, and 10 asymptomatic control patients. Six coordinate systems were tested on both the talus and calcaneus for all groups. The aim of this study was to evaluate axes definitions for the subtalar joint across four different patient populations to determine the influence of morphology on the implementation of previously defined coordinate systems. Different morphologic presentations from various pathologies have a substantial impact on coordinate system definitions, given that numerous axes definitions are defined through geometric fits or manual landmark selection. Automated coordinate systems that align with clinically relevant anatomic planes are preferred. Principal component axes are automatic, but do not align with clinically relevant planes and should not be used for such analysis where anatomic planes are critical.

On the diffusive model of C<sub>60</sub> fullerene clusterization in liquids

Purpose of research. The purpose of the study is to explain the mechanisms of clustering of fullerene molecules in liquid media observed using various structural nuclear -physical methods, as well as the interpretation of experimental data within the framework of a microscopic diffusion model. Methods. The article gives a brief overview of the results of positron annihilation spectroscopy, small-angle neutron scattering, translucent electron microscopy, with which the geometric parameters of fullerene clusters in solutions were established. The theoretical method of research is the microscopic diffusion model “Limited diffusion aggregation”, which describes the kinetic processes of clusterization. Results. The diffusion limited aggregation model displays adequately the mechanism of formation of C60 molecules in the form of fractal units in the volume of fluid, observed in experiments on positron annihilation spectroscopy and small-angle neutron scattering. The structural indicators of aggregate fullerene particles in carbon disulfide, o-Xylene, toluene, water and other solvents are analyzed. The properties of various diffusion models (the reaction limited aggregation model and the diffusion limited aggregation model) are considered and their combination in relation to the assessmentsof the kinetics of fullerene aggregation in solutions. A quantitative comparison of the results of the discussed models was carried out using the example of carbon disulfide. Conclusion. The diffusion microscopic models adequately describe the phenomenon of fullerene aggregation in polar and non-polar solvents, which are recorded by various nuclear methods (positron annihilating spectroscopy and small-angle neutron scattering), the most reliable is the diffusion limited aggregation model, more than that, it is the basis of a numerical definition of structural structures parameters of units. Compared to neutron scattering, with the annihilation of positrons, in the aggregation of fullerene the [Ps–C60] molecular complexes participate in the clusterization, but this does not affect the change in the size of the cluster and the reliability of the results.

#988 Peritoneal dialysis related peritonitis: insights from a long-term analysis of an Italian center

Abstract Background and Aims Peritonitis is a common and severe complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). For comparative analysis standardized definitions are crucial, but most studies have been used heterogenous methods to measure outcomes. The ISPD 2022 guidelines have revised and clarified numerous definitions and proposed new peritonitis categories. Thus, deeper comprehension concerning the incidence, prevalence, and outcome of cause- and time specific peritonitis in contemporary cohorts is required. Method Between 1st January 2009 and 31st May 2023, 267 patients who started PD at our institution were included in the study (Tab. 1). All PD-related peritonitis episodes that occurred in our unit during the study period were collected. The new definitions and outcomes of ISPD 2022 recommendations were employed. Results During the study period 113 patients (42.3%) experienced 219 peritonitis (Tab. 2). The overall peritonitis rate was 0.25 episode/patient year. During the study period, 230 patients (88.5%) discontinued the dialytic technique; among them 122 were transferred to HD. Peritonitis represented the main cause of hemodialysis (HD) transfer (35.2%). Patient cumulative probability of remaining peritonitis-free at one year was 84.2%. The initial antibiotic regimen (cefazolin in association with tobramycin ip) was effective in 131 episodes (141/219, 64.3%), while the medical cure and refractory peritonitis rates were equal to 70.3 and 22.4%, respectively. The rates of peritonitis associated death, HD transfer, catheter removal and hospitalization were 6.8%, 18.3%, 18.7% and 64.4%, respectively. Relapsing, repeat, recurrent and enteric peritonitis accounted for 7.8%, 6.8%, 4.1% and 2.7% of all episodes, respectively. Catheter insertion, catheter related and pre-PD peritonitis were 4.2, 2.1 and 0.5%. Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria accounted for 74.1% and 21.3% of peritonitis, respectively. Initial antibiotic regimen was more effective in Gram-positive (76.4%) than Gram-negative (35.1%) microorganisms (p < 0.0001). Culture-negative peritonitis accounted for 25.6% of all specimens. In comparison with positive-culture peritonitis, culture-negative episodes showed a higher medical cure rate (88.4%, 46/52 vs 68.9%, 104/151; p < 0.01) and were significantly less likely to be complicated by hospitalization (48.1%, 25/52 vs 72.2%, 109/151; p < 0.05), catheter removal (9.6%, 5/52 vs 22.5%, 34/151; p < 0.05), HD transfer (9.6%, 5/52 vs 21.9%, 33/152; p < 0.05) and death (0%, 0/52 vs 8.6%, 13/151, p < 0.05). However, initial antibiotic regimen response was similar between culture-negative and culture-positive episodes (71.2%, 37/52 vs 62.3%, 94/151, p = ns). Rates of relapsing, repeat and recurrent peritonitis were 0.023, 0.018 and 0.011 episode/patient-year, respectively accounting for 7.8, 6.8 and 4.1% of all episodes The composite outcome of either catheter removal or death due to peritonitis was higher in relapsing (42.1%, 8/19, p < 0.05) and recurrent (44.4%, 4/9, p < 0.05) episodes than generic peritonitis (19.1%, 34/178) but similar to repeat peritonitis (3/15, 20%, p = ns). Although peritonitis from enteric causes represented only 2.7% of all episodes, they needed catheter removal in one-third of events (33.3%) and caused patient death (66.6%) in the remaining cases. Conclusion Although representing the leading cause of HD transfer cause, more than 50% of incident PD patients never experienced peritonitis. Carrying a worse outcome than generic peritonitis, entities such as relapsing, recurrent and enteric peritonitis should be aggressively treated. Conversely, culture-negative peritonitis showed a better prognosis as compared to positive-culture episodes. However, aiming at the prevention of microbial resistances, the reduction of culture-negative cases is necessary to minimize patient exposure to empiric therapy with multiple antibiotics. In our experience first-line empirical antibiotic therapy was effective in almost 65% of the cases. Nevertheless, the efficacy of this regimen was unsatisfactory in Gram-negative microorganisms requiring further microbiological and pharmacokinetic evaluation.

Peritoneal dialysis related peritonitis: insights from a long-term analysis of an Italian center

BackgroundPeritonitis is a common and severe complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). For comparative analysis standardized definitions as well as measurements and outcomes are crucial. However, most PD-related peritonitis studies have been using heterogenous definitions and variable methods to measure outcomes. The ISPD 2022 guidelines have revised and clarified numerous definitions and proposed new peritonitis categories and outcomes.MethodsBetween 1st January 2009 and 31st May 2023, 267 patients who started PD at our institution were included in the study. All PD-related peritonitis episodes that occurred in our unit during the study period were collected. The new definitions and outcomes of ISPD 2022 recommendations were employed.ResultsThe overall peritonitis rate was 0.25 episode/patient year. Patient cumulative probability of remaining peritonitis-free at one year was 84.2%. The medical cure and refractory peritonitis rates were equal to 70.3 and 22.4%, respectively. Culture-negative peritonitis accounted for 25.6% of all specimens. The rates of peritonitis associated death, hemodialysis transfer, catheter removal and hospitalization were 6.8%, 18.3%, 18.7% and 64.4%, respectively. Relapsing, repeat, recurrent and enteric peritonitis accounted for 7.8%, 6.8%, 4.1% and 2.7% of all episodes, respectively. Catheter insertion, catheter related and pre-PD peritonitis were 4.2, 2.1 and 0.5%.ConclusionsThe implementation of PD-related peritonitis reports using standardized definitions and outcome measurements is of paramount importance to enhance clinical practice and to allow comparative studies.

What 'case definition' for respiratory syncytial virus infection? Results of a systematic literature review to improve surveillance among the adults.

Human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) is a leading cause of acute lower respiratory tract infection in frail individuals, including children, the elderly and immunocompromised people, with mild to severe symptoms. World Health Organization claims hRSV causes most elderly influenza-like illnesses (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI). In this study, different case definitions for hRSV surveillance were examined for accuracy. The following search query ('Respiratory Syncytial Virus' OR 'RSV' OR 'hRSV' AND 'case definition') was used on PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus with a 15-year-old baseline age restriction to conduct a systematic literature review. Of 12 records, 58% employed the SARI definition, 50% the ILI definition and 42% the acute respiratory infection (ARI) definition, with some overlap. In young adults (18-64years old), most studies show RSV prevalence between 6.25 and 72.54 cases per 1000 per year, and 19.23 to 98.5 in older adults. The outpatient ARI and hospitalized SARI criteria are particularly sensitive and specific. Disease burden measurement requires a clear case definition; however, current literature is questionable. Currently, hRSV surveillance uses numerous case definitions with debatable accuracy. The epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and disease burden of hRSV are difficult to characterize without a standard surveillance case definition.

The Challenge of Defining the Secular

Judges have long wrestled with the gigantean task of defining religion, with some describing the task as being ‘called upon to ponder the imponderable’, an impossible task, and even misguided. Despite these sentiments, and comments in almost every legal definition expressing the impossibility of the task, judges have, in fact, been able to come up with numerous legal definitions for religion. These have been applied in myriad circumstances to define the outer limits of the rights and responsibilities of states, religious communities, organisations, and individuals. By contrast, the term secular has rarely been judicially defined. However, it is no-less important in defining the rights and responsibilities of states and their citizens and residents, particularly in light of the number of states that claim, implicitly or explicitly, to be secular. This paper, therefore, (re)examines the definition of the secular as it pertains to the concept of the secular state. It considers the need for a legal definition of the secular with particular reference to constitutional and other legal instruments that include the term. It then examines the difference between the terms secular, secularisation and secularism, noting the often erroneous conflation as well as the inevitable interaction and overlap between these key concepts. Finally, drawing on existing classifications of legal definitions of religion, the paper classifies definitions of the secular into three overarching classifications, namely ‘historical’, ‘substantive’ and ‘characteristic’.

Assessing the agreement of chronic lung disease of prematurity diagnosis between radiologists and clinical criteria

BackgroundChronic lung disease of prematurity (CLD) is the most prevalent complication of preterm birth and indicates an increased likelihood of long-term pulmonary complications. The accurate diagnosis of this condition is critical for long-term health management. Numerous definitions define CLD with different clinical parameters and radiology findings, making diagnosis of the disease ambiguous and potentially inaccurate.Methods95 patients were identified for this study, as determined by the diagnosis or confirmation of CLD in the impression of the radiologist’s report on chest x-ray. Pulmonary function and complications were recorded at multiple benchmark timeframes within each patient’s first few months of life and used for determining eligibility under each definition.ResultsEach clinical definition of CLD had a high sensitivity for patients identified to have CLD by radiologists, correctly fitting over 90% of patients. Most patients included required invasive mechanical ventilation or positive pressure ventilation at 36 weeks postmenstrual age, indicating patients with radiographically confirmed CLD tended to have more severe disease. Radiologists tended to diagnose CLD before 36 weeks postmenstrual age, a timepoint used by multiple standard clinical definitions, with cases called earlier fitting under a larger percentage of definitions than those called later.ConclusionsRadiologists tend to diagnose CLD in young patients with severe respiratory compromise, and can accurately diagnose the condition before developmental milestones for clinical definitions are met.

Variability in Diagnosis and Management of Hypoglycemia in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Hypoglycemia, the most common metabolic derangement in the newborn period remains a contentious issue, not only due to various numerical definitions, but also due to limited therapeutical options which either lack evidence to support their efficacy or are increasingly recognized to lead to adverse reactions in this population. This study aimed to investigate neonatologists' current attitudes in diagnosing and managing transient and persistent hypoglycemia in newborns admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). A web-based electronic survey which included 34 questions and a clinical vignette was sent to U.S. neonatologists. There were 246 survey responses with most respondents using local protocols to manage this condition. The median glucose value used as the numerical definition of hypoglycemia in first 48 hours of life (HOL) for symptomatic and asymptomatic term infants and preterm infants was 45 mg/dL (2.5 mmol/L; 25-60 mg/dL; 1.4-3.3 mmol/L), while after 48 HOL the median value was 50 mg/dL (2.8 mmol/L; 30-70 mg/dL; 1.7-3.9 mmol/L). There were various approaches used to manage transient and persistent hypoglycemia that included dextrose gel, increasing caloric content of the feeds using milk fortifiers, using continuous feedings, formula or complex carbohydrates, and use of various medications such as diazoxide, glucocorticoids, and glucagon. There is still large variability in current practices related to hypoglycemia. Further research is needed not only to provide evidence to support the values used as a numerical definition for hypoglycemia, but also on the efficacy of current strategies used to manage this condition. · Numerical definition of glucose remains variable.. · Strategies managing transient and persistent hypoglycemia are diverse.. · There is a need for further research to investigate efficacy of various treatment options..

The cyclical nature of dualistic trends in urban design. Historical analysis of the creative attitudes of selected masters over the centuries

In this article, the authors raise issues of dualistic solutions in urban design and city development. It should be noted at the outset that the very concept of duality is not obvious and is inherently ambiguous. The numerous definitions that exist are very general. We can distinguish several disciplines and scientific areas where the concept of dualism occurs or can appear. At the same time, the definition of each of these phenomena will be different, depending on the area in which it occurs. Hence, the authors have made a far-reaching reduction in the types of dualisms, narrowing the area of research to the creative attitudes of urban planners, philosophers of space, artists, and architects in historical terms. The aim of the search for dual features in spatial forms is to find the key to a better understanding of the laws governing urban planning and urbanisation processes. Verification of opposites and dual characteristics takes place on three levels: community, form, and function. The urban conditions that occur contribute to the creation of new qualities and new spatial forms, which help redefine the city and its development. The paper is based on the thesis that dualism is a permanent feature of spatial solutions (a recurring feature) across the spectrum of history.

Definition "farmer" in EU legislation and its implementation into the legislation of Ukraine

The article is devoted to the issue of unification in Ukrainian legislation the definitions that are used in the European legislative acts concerning the Common Agricultural policy (hereinafter - CAP), particularly, the definition of "farmer" as a beneficiary of direct payments.
 There are numerous definitions of subjects providing agricultural activity according to the current Ukrainian legislation: agricultural producer, manufacturer of agricultural products, household, agricultural enterprise, subject of agro-industrial complex, agricultural cooperative, individual farm, farming enterprise, family farming enterprise, farming enterprise as an individual entrepreneur. Instead of this the European agricultural law operates with the term "farmer".
 In order to provide the correct and barrier-free applying of CAP provisions that would regulate the agricultural activity of Ukrainian persons, legal and natural ones, after Ukraine becomes the member of the European Union, it is necessary now to conduct a research of the concept of term "farmer" according to EU legislation and the related definitions such as "agricultural activity", "agricultural products", "active farmer", "young farmer", "new farmer". The obtained results could be taking into account in the legislative amendment process that is taking place in Ukraine due to the granted status as a candidate to the EU. Abovementioned is the aim of these thesis.
 In order to gain correct understanding of the term "farmer” in the EU countries the structure of the European agricultural sector is analyzed by the author. Summarizing the conducted research it is stated that due to the European approach enshrined in the CAP the term "farmer” is a general definition to all the persons that provide agricultural activity irrespectively to their size, organizational structure, type of management etc. In order to harmonize the national Ukrainian legislation to the European one there are several propositions how to amend the legislation.

A Review on Traversability Risk Assessments for Autonomous Ground Vehicles: Methods and Metrics.

Evaluating the risk associated with operations is an essential element of safe planning and an essential prerequisite in mobile robotics. This issue is very broad, with numerous definitions emerging in the recent literature adapting different application scenarios and leading to different algorithmic approaches. In this review, we will investigate how the state-of-the-art approaches define the traversability risk, particularly for mobile robots, whereby we classify existing risk-aware navigation algorithms according to their characterization of risk. Subsequently, we will overview the formulations of risk assessment along a path using traversability grid maps since it is essential for a mobile robot to evaluate its path to predict potential hazards. Finally, we will discuss the consistency of commonly used risk metrics in robotics. The aim of the review is to offer a comprehensive overview to newcomers in the field, to provide a structured reference for practitioners, and to also inspire future developments.

Nursing student caring behaviours: a systematic review

Caring is central to nursing and requires scientific professional skills and knowledge. Numerous definitions highlight the fact that there is a range of perspectives regarding the caring behaviors. The purpose of this study was to provide a summary of caring behaviors among nursing students in order to depict a more comprehensive view, which could be used as foundational data for the argument that cultivating caring behaviors should be an early focus of the nursing curriculum. Article selection was guided by the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) Statements. Literature searches were conducted in June 21, 2022 in PubMed, cumulative index to nursing and allied health (CINAHL), and (OVID). The following search blocks were generated: nursing students, caring behavior, and education. About 318 were found using primary search descriptors and 19 studies were included in the review. All research was published between 2016 and 2020. The majority of studies were conducted using a cross-sectional design, two studies used prospective, and one study used a retrospective design. The caring behavior of nursing students varies depending on the country and instrument used, ranging from a moderate score to a high score, and varies from one study year to the next. The most dominant caring behavior domains reported are the domains of instrumental caring/physical caring and expressive caring/emotional caring. This study adds to the existing literature on nursing care and explains the universality of the concept of care from multiple theoretical perspectives. Caring interventions should be used to help students develop clinically-relevant caring behaviors.

Integrity in public administration: doubtful practical value of ethical and philosophical categories in preventing corruption (on the example of the public integrity council activity)

There has been tried in the article to systemize various approaches to the concept of integrity (in Ukrainian literally – kind-honesty), which is relatively new to the science of public administration, and to find out the sources and reasons for its appearance. A brief linguistic analysis of the integrity definitions contained in Ukrainian- and English-language sources has been carried out. There has been analyzed a variety of numerous definitions of the integrity concept, both ethical and philosophical, and normative and legal as well. A historical excursion has been made to prove rapid evolution of integrity criteria. There has been emphasized that the criteria of integrity in many cases are perceived exceptionally at an intuitive level, often being manipulative and unstable, depend on the person of evaluator and may differ even within small social groups. There has been cast doubt on the expedience of including changing ethical and philosophical categories in the national legislation and establishing legal liability for their non-observance. Based on the Public Integrity Council activity during the qualification evaluation of judges through the judicial reform of 2016-2019 and unsuccessful attempts to resume this procedure in 2023, practical problems in the evaluation of integrity criteria and subjectivity in approaches to such evaluation have been highlighted. There has been attempted to find out the practical value of integrity category in preventing corruption. The indisputable obligation of exclusive morality and ethics of those who are responsible for evaluating the public officials’ integrity has been emphasized. There has been demonstrated an example when mistrust to evaluators, their arbitrary and destructive application of moral criteria, placed in the legal sphere, cause personnel turbulence and public servants’ reluctance to continue their professional careers in conditions of uncertainty, what leads to the public administration mechanism disbalance. There has been suggested during the further modernization of the institute of public service in Ukraine and introduction of new anti-corruption mechanisms to avoid borrowing such categories that are not typical to the national context.

Digitalization of Smart City—Sine Qua Non or an Option for Those Interested?

A common feature of numerous definitions of “smart city” is the skilfull use of digitalization tools aimed at achieving the goals of urban policy based on the principles of sustainable development. Digitalization is, therefore, the foundation of a smart city, however, there are no uniform standards for digital solutions that city authorities could implement. This article aims to analyze digitalization solutions understood as processes implemented in the cities ranked in the first five positions of the latest Smart City Index report for 2021—Singapore, Zurich, Oslo, Taipei City, and Lausanne. The authors show whether—and to what extent—digitalization of smart cities is a defining condition for their status and to what extent it is optional. The study showed that various digitalization solutions and paths were implemented, however, their scope and goals differ depending on the specificity of each city and the municipal strategy implemented.

Forecasting the Occurrence of Electricity Price Spikes: A Statistical-Economic Investigation Study

This research proposes an investigative experiment employing binary classification for short-term electricity price spike forecasting. Numerical definitions for price spikes are derived from economic and statistical thresholds. The predictive task employs two tree-based machine learning classifiers and a deterministic point forecaster; a statistical regression model. Hyperparameters for the tree-based classifiers are optimized for statistical performance based on recall, precision, and F1-score. The deterministic forecaster is adapted from the literature on electricity price forecasting for the classification task. Additionally, one tree-based model prioritizes interpretability, generating decision rules that are subsequently utilized to produce price spike forecasts. For all models, we evaluate the final statistical and economic predictive performance. The interpretable model is analyzed for the trade-off between performance and interpretability. Numerical results highlight the significance of complementing statistical performance with economic assessment in electricity price spike forecasting. All experiments utilize data from Alberta’s electricity market.