Systematic Problems Research Articles

Primary healthcare as a strategy for eliminating hepatitis C: the METRIC toolkit.

This paper presents the development of the METRIC toolkit, aimed at enhancing primary healthcare interventions in the context of hepatitis C control, thus contributing to the World Health Organization's global strategy to achieve the elimination of the disease by 2030. At the global level, most people living with hepatitis C are unaware of their condition. As such, the eradication of hepatitis C necessitates comprehensive strategies within primary healthcare settings, as it provides an opportunity to reach the general population, facilitates the identification of potential patients who may be unfamiliar with hepatitis C, and guides them toward adequate care. Herein, we propose the METRIC toolkit as a means to optimize the efficiency and efficacy of healthcare services dedicated to hepatitis C control. The development of the METRIC toolkit was guided by a thorough review of pertinent literature, focusing on primary healthcare interventions in hepatitis C control. Key components were identified, encompassing systematic problem identification, solution formulation, outcome evaluation, and feedback integration. The METRIC toolkit represents a valuable resource for strengthening primary healthcare interventions in hepatitis C control. By fostering a culture of continuous improvement and data-driven decision-making, this framework holds promise in advancing the global agenda towards hepatitis C elimination. However, its successful application requires careful consideration of contextual factors and ongoing adaptation to local needs and circumstances.

ON-BOARD LOG AND COORDINATE TRANSFORMATION FOR DETECTED OBJECTS ON THE SURFACE OF WATER

Context. The relevance of the work is to the demand for UAV technologies with the integration of artificial intelligence in today’s conditions. Objective. The goal of the work is to develop a minimum working version of the UAV explorer and software for controlling the UAV data. Method. The proposed mathematical description, which calculates the coordinates of the object, based on the dimensions of the original image from the camera, the dimensions of the image with which the neural network works, the angle of the field of view of the camera, the position of the UAV and the angles of roll, pitch and yaw, allows you to transfer the coordinates of the object, of the found NN, in the image to the geographical coordinates, thereby moving away from the rigid reference to the coordinates of the UAV. Results. The problem of systematization of objects detected during the mission on the surface of water bodies was solved bycreating a flight log, organizing interaction with a neural network, applying post-processing of recognized objects, mathematically transforming the coordinates of objects for display and visualization into geographic coordinates, thereby move away from the rigid reference to the coordinates of the UAV. Conclusions. A workable logbook generation and storage system has been created, which takes into account the peculiarities of information presentation in the logbook, and ensures effective interaction of the components of the created information system within the proposed hardware and software complex, which allows organizing the process of researching water bodies using the SITL environment from the flight controller developers.

NAVIGATING THE REGULATORY LANDSCAPE OF VOLUNTARY SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS IN INTERNATIONAL FOOD TRADE: A MULTILATERAL INTERPLAY - DOI: 10.12818/P.0304-2340.2024v85p171

Voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) are non-mandatory criteria designed to foster sustainable practices throughout the global supply chain. These standards are particularly prevalent in the agri-food sector, where they aim to support wider public policy objectives such as sustainable food production, animal welfare, healthy lifestyle, and labour conditions. Significant challenges arises from the fact that VSSs, despite their voluntary nature, they often impose mandatory effect in the global supply chain. They also often lack easily-identifiable features of the product themselves. These creates systematic problems for the global food trade system, where conventional regulation address governmental measures on goods with specific inherent characteristics that can be clearly identified in the final product. This article explored the interrelationship among private VSSs, national regulations and international treaties within the agri-food industry. It highlights ambiguity surrounding the regulatory framework for VSSs under the WTO law, noting the absence of a consensus on how relevant provisions should be interpreted. Despite the diversity among various VSSs, VSSs, this article argues for the potential for harmonization and equivalence among VSSs. By aligning various VSSs and with technical regulations, it is possible to strike a balance between trade liberalization and promotion of sustainable practices.

The Invertebrates of The Romualdo Formation, Araripe Basin: Analysis of Paleoecological and Paleogeographical Data

Fossil invertebrates are good paleoenvironmental indicators due to their sensitivity to abiotic conditions, which contributes to the understanding of the Aptian-Albian of the Araripe Basin. However, much of the paleoecological and paleobiogeographical information on these organisms is scarce in the literature. The aim of this paper is to compile relevant data on the macroinvertebrates of the Romualdo Formation and to analyze and point out gaps in knowledge. To achieve this, extensive bibliographical research was carried out, using scientific publications based on the families of Spinicaudata, echinoids, gastropods, bivalves, shrimps and crabs of the Romualdo Formation and their distribution in Brazil and globally throughout the Aptian-Albian, using specialized online databases. Paleoecological and paleogeographical data were compiled for 46 invertebrate taxa, highlighting those with better studied routes of origin. Thus, it was possible to highlight the lack of data regarding the way of life of certain mollusc families and systematic problems regarding the identification of the families of several species of shrimp. Finally, the predominance of taxa from marine (34), brackish (7) and lacustrine (5) waters was shown. Of these, 18 taxa have a typical tethyan distribution and another 12 also present occurrences in the Austral, Boreal or both domains. The only typical freshwater group was Spinicaudata, marking environments with little or no marine influence and with rare occurrences during the Aptian-Albian.

Unexpected Intracameral Foreign Bodies During Regular Cataract Surgeries.

Unexpected intracameral foreign bodies during regular cataract surgery appear relatively often but seem to be underreported, since they are almost often immediately removed. They rarely remain in the anterior chamber and can be the source of inflammation, infections, or lead to corneal endothelial decompensation. We report two series of cases with different materials of different origins and review the literature. During several cases of uncomplicated phacoemulsifications under topical anesthesia, unknown foreign bodies visibly flushed in through the sleeve of the phaco handpiece. The material was always removed and submitted to the (Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt; Federal Institute for Materials Testing and Research) for further investigations. Spectral analysis revealed that, in our cases, the foreign bodies were remnants of otherwise intact phaco sleeves that had not been cleaned properly during production. In another case series, the resin granules from the water filtration system for the instrument washing machine had found their way into the phaco handpieces. Many shapes and materials of different origins might unexpectedly appear during cataract surgery in the eye. Their immediate extraction is necessary, as they might cause corneal endothelial damage, chronic inflammation, or could be the source of infections. Vigilance reporting is also important for the controlling medicinal organizations and companies to assure early recognition of systematic problems.

신고법제에 있어 「행정기본법」과 「행정절차법」의 관계

Since the law is a compulsory norm for maintaining social order, it must naturally have a normative system consistent with the system of social order. Nevertheless, the legal system for reporting under the current legislation is in such a mess that it is called an abode of demons, and this stems from systematic problems as well as from the content of the reporting law, resulting in a lot of normative confusion not only for the people but also for the administration that applies the law. Under these circumstances, the enactment of the General Act On Public Administration in March 2021 attempted a legislative solution to the ambiguity of the reporting law, but due to the ambiguity of the identity and discipline of the Framework Act on Administration itself, many questions are already raised about whether the General Act On Public Administration is a “legislative solution” to the normative confusion caused by the distinction between reports. In addition, the current legislative situation, in which the Administrative Procedure Act is repeatedly added to the regulations on the reporting law, is increasingly demanding the need for the improvement of the legal system. Of course, since legislation recognizes considerable freedom of legislation, the issue of legal reorganization of the relationship between the General Act On Public Administration and the Administrative Procedure Act in the reporting law is not socially and legally easy. In particular, legislative policy requests are bound to intervene strongly in this issue, and in the end, this is not a matter of legal normative a priori logic, but a matter of legislative policy that focuses on the harmony and convergence of various opinions of members of society for the “Optimization Act”. However, in terms of its direction, the legalization of reporting requires sufficient discussion and social consensus to ensure procedural legitimacy from the perspective of the people, not from the perspective of administration. Given the social function of the law, the law should be “good legislation”. Legislation is a product of a country's diverse history and culture, and the current level of legislation is an important measure of a country's development and competitiveness. From the perspective of good legislation, the General Act On Public Administration and the Administrative Procedure Act need to be integrated. Of course, there is no uniform legally conclusion in that legislative policy discretion is recognized in the specific direction and content of the integration, but the integrated legislation into the Framework Act on Administration seems to be basically a reasonable direction. It is a well-known fact that there is a lot of criticism about the enactment process and regulations of the General Act On Public Administration, and in this regard, it is true that the current General Act On Public Administration is not the best legislation as “good legislation”. Nevertheless, it is also an undeniable normative meaning that it is the next best choice for general legal calls for an administrative legal system centered on unwritten law. Therefore, it is time for social efforts to ensure that the previously enacted General Act On Public Administration no longer stays in the next best legislation and establishes itself as the best ‘good law’ as soon as possible, and the integration of the reporting law is one step in such efforts.

Principles of Formation of the Company’s Ecosystem Based on Platform Socio-Economic Interactions

The purpose of this study was to develop principles for the formation of the company’s ecosystem based on platform socio-economic interactions. In the course of the work, the peculiarities of ecosystem development are analyzed and the problem of systematization of the principles of formation of the external environment of an economic entity is determined. Based on minimizing transaction costs and the completeness of the application of management functions, the basic principles of the formation of the firm’s ecosystem have been developed, including clientcentricity, responsiveness to changes, hierarchical structure, diversity of participants and maintaining the profile of activity The author’s approaches to the creation of such an ecosystem through platform interactions, as well as the application of advanced digital and information technologies to protect personal data, expand the number of services and activities provided, and preserve competition were formed. The research used methods such as various types of analysis, structuring, and the graphical method. The information base was made up of the bibliographic database of scientific publications eLibrary. This study of ecosystems will be of interest to firms that want to make more profit with lower costs by collecting and analyzing data received from customers.

MORPHOLOGICAL EVOLUTION, CLASSIFICATION AND PHYLOGENETIC OF DIFFERENCE SPECIES OF GENUS EUPHORBIA (EUPHORBIACEA)-A REVIEW

The present review paper focuses on the morphology, taxonomic categorization, and phylogenetic positioning of ten chosen species of Euphorbia, a large genus of the family Euphorbiaceae containing over 2000 species. The study starts with a general introduction to the genus, highlighting the importance of knowing the morphological variation and evolution in the group. A comparison of critical morphological features such as the type of leaf margining, structure of inflorescence, and presence of latex is made to understand the role of such traits in several species. The classification provides a detailed taxonomic breakdown of the ten species selected for review, pointing out the distinguishing character of each species. Evolutionary history within the genus is discussed phylogenetically using one or more molecular markers. The discussion brings together the conclusions from comparing the morphological characteristics of the studied species and the results of the analysis of their phylogenetic relationships concerning the problems of systematics and conservation. The research paper concludes by highlighting the significant findings and recommending further research on Euphorbia species employing diverse research methods.

The Action Plan of the Ministry of Energy as a tool to conduct structural modernization and ensure Russia's technological sovereignty. Part 1

Subject. The article addresses problems of official data systematization in the energy sector, rule-making activities of ministries and departments of the Russian Federation. Objectives. The purpose of the study is to assess the situation in the energy sector, determine the relevance of the current Action Plan of the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation for 2019–2024 in view of the new economic sanctions. Methods. The study employs methods of comparative analysis. Results. The paper established that the Action Plan of the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation for 2019–2024 cannot be considered as an effective tool to carry out structural modernization of the fuel and energy complex and secure the technological sovereignty of the country. Conclusions. To change the current situation, it is necessary to rethink the principles of building the entire system of strategic planning.

Exploring synergies between AIGC and TRIZ in the optimisation of road cone design through integrated innovation methods

Utilising the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) and Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC) models, this paper explores AI-assisted creative design and uses traffic cone design as a case. The objective is to evaluate whether AIGC can assist or potentially replace TRIZ in this field. Despite TRIZ being an established methodology renowned for its effectiveness in systematic problem solving, it faces challenges related to implementation complexity and adaptability across different cultures and industries. In contrast, AIGC, through its data-driven tools, offers automation and enhanced innovation, showing promise to overcome these limitations. Evidence from qualitative case studies and quantitative studies indicate that while AIGC enhances the efficiency and stability of creative models, its limitations in system analysis and innovative thinking prevent it from independently solving complex creative design issues, thereby not fully replacing TRIZ. However, AIGC can effectively complement the TRIZ model by enhancing the practicality of solutions through its data processing capabilities, thereby improving overall design efficiency and innovation. This synergy has the potential to accelerate the development of innovative solutions and conceptual designs, indicating that integrating AIGC with TRIZ leverages the strengths of both methodologies to produce more effective and innovative design outcomes.

A systematic problem analysis network for product conceptual design

Problem analysis is a starting point of product development. The effective problem analysis can narrow the scope of potential problems and improve design efficiency. Although different methods have been proposed for the design problem analysis, the existing tools of the problem analysis are not systematic and effective. This paper presents a product design problem analysis and solution method based on problem networks. The proposed method conducts the problem decomposition, derivation and solving by considering the problem generation, exploratory and hypotheticals. Computer-aided analysis tools are integrated to improve reproducibility of the analysis solution and reduce the workload of designers. The method is applied in developing a new type of the charging gun cable with a granted patent. Feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method are proved.

A simplified reliability-based design method for multiple design variables considering different limit states

A generalized reliability model comprising the objective, constraint, and judgment functions is established for the reliability index approach (RIA), taking parameters’ properties of engineering practice and negative reliability index into consideration. Based on this, the reliability-based design (RBD) problem with multiple design variables is translated into the solution to the nonlinear equations, and a simplified method consisting of a simple variant of the Newton iteration method and the finite difference method (FDM) is proposed. Numerical examples are presented to verify the efficiency of the proposed reliability approach and to determine the incremental step size for FDM. RBD of a simply supported beam is illustrated and the variabilities of design variables are investigated considering the uncertainties in the manufacturing process and practical operations. Results reveal that the variations of the design variables should not be ignored. Moreover, analysis results show that the design value might not intuitively increase with the increase of its coefficient of variation (CoV), and it might not increase with the increasing reliability requirement for problems involving multiple variables. The reasons for this phenomenon are very complicated, and it is a systematic problem. One should be aware of this phenomenon, and specific analysis is required for specific problems.

GROUP APPROACHES IN GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING SERVICES

This study was made to describe and analyze the various types of counseling guidance services with a group approach used in guidance and counseling practice. Group approach in guidance and counseling is one of the approaches used by professionals in providing guidance and counseling services to a group of individuals who have similar problems or needs. Through a literature review of relevant sources, this research involves systematic problem identification and analysis of scholarly publications related to the types of guidance and counseling services with a group approach. The results of this research include the definition of group guidance, the definition of group counseling, the types of group guidance and counseling services, and the stages of group guidance and counseling. By providing a detailed view of the types of group guidance and counseling services, this research aims to provide helpful insights for guidance and counseling professionals in designing and providing services that suit the needs of their clients.

A Complex of Management Tools to Overcome Differentiation of Region’s Spatial Development

A key direction of the state regional policy is sustainable socio-economic development of the regions of the Russian Federation. However, the solution of this issue is significantly complicated by a number of problems associated with the spatial heterogeneity of the country and further inequality in the level of socio-economic development of Russian regions. The relevance of this study is determined by the necessity to solve the problem of systematization of theoretical approaches to the description of mechanisms of socio-economic development of the subjects of the Russian Federation, aimed to overcome the spatial differentiation of territories by basic indicators. The object of the study is the regions of the Far Eastern and Siberian Federal Districts. The aim of the study is to develop the principles of systematization of tools for spatial development of the subjects of the Russian Federation depending on the level of differentiation of regions by basic principles. To achieve the aim, the authors used the following research methods: comparative analysis, empirical analysis, synthesis, statistical method, graphic research methods. Based on the comparative analysis of the existing causes of differentiation of spatial development of the subjects of the Siberian and Far Eastern Federal Districts, the objective and subjective factors of regional inequality were identified. The analysis of existing mechanisms of spatial development of the regions of the Siberian and Far Eastern Federal Districts revealed their insufficient efficiency in solving the problem of smoothing regional socio-economic inequality. The author’s approach to the formation of a set of management tools to overcome the differentiation of spatial development of regions on the example of the Siberian and Far Eastern Federal Districts on the basis of grouping the subjects according to the studied groups of basic indicators is proposed. The paper proposes the definition of individual characteristics of each subject of the Russian Federation as a basis for the formation of tools for spatial development of the region.

An examination of mothers’ sensemaking of ‘mommy drinking culture’

ABSTRACT The rise of ‘mommy drinking’ or ‘wine mom’ culture, popularized by social media and capitalized upon by mommy drinking merchandise and female-branded alcohol, coincides with the intensive demands and pressures of modern mothering. Using a sensemaking framework, this study examined how mothers made sense of mommy drinking culture. Through 21 in-depth interviews, findings illustrate that mothers made sense of drinking culture in five main ways: de-alignment with suburban mommy drinkers; as a product of cultural lack of support for mothers; a response to the stress of motherhood and expectations of perfectionism; normalized yet polarized; and a cover for problem drinking. Participants were very aware that mommy drinking can divide and disparage mothers and draw attention from the very real systematic and structural problems disadvantaging mothers, often prompting them to drink to cope.

Science advice for international governance – An evidence-based perspective on the role of SCAR in the Antarctic Treaty System

Knowledge brokers are essential for science-based international governance. Recently, the objectivity of the Antarctic Treaty System’s (ATS) primary knowledge broker, the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), has been questioned, both in discussions at ATS meetings and now in a recent published perspective. Much of the concern is based on a misunderstanding of SCAR’s history, structure and internal operations, and of its interactions with the ATS, in particular at Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCMs). Articulation of these concerns provides a useful basis for an examination of science-based advice in an international governance system founded on peace and science. Therefore, this study provides an evidence-based assessment of SCAR’s operations and history with respect to its interactions with the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties (ATCPs). It shows that the dangers of lack of objectivity by SCAR, or its politicization by one or more of its Members have long been recognised by SCAR, and that SCAR has policies and procedures that are specifically designed to preclude this happening, as might be expected from a reliable international knowledge broker. Evidence-based clarification of SCAR’s interactions with the ATCPs demonstrate that no evidence exists of bias to SCAR’s advice to ATCMs throughout its history. This study therefore shows that concerns about lack of objectivity do not reflect any systematic problems within SCAR. Rather, the study shows they reflect insufficient appreciation of the way in which SCAR acts as a reliable knowledge broker in the ATS. The assessment provides a useful overview of best practice in science-based advice for international governance.

Patterns of development of religious culture in modern society: problems of systematization and philosophical understanding

Introduction. Religious culture is becoming one of the most important subjects of philosophical science today. The philosophical methodology makes it possible to systematize the available knowledge not only of the philosophical, but also of the general scientific, private scientific level. An analytical review of scientific publications devoted to the identification of laws, patterns and principles of the development of religious culture at the present stage has shown that there are many of them, but they are scattered and very diverse. Therefore, the problem of philosophical understanding of the phenomenon of religious culture at the present stage of development of society is an extremely urgent task.The purpose of the study is to study domestic and foreign publications devoted to the study of the patterns of development of religious culture at the present stage and to identify the possibility of their systematization based on philosophical methodology.Materials and Methods. The main research methods used were methods of analytical review, analysis, generalization and comparison, as well as the dialectical method.Results. In the course of the study, the authors came to the conclusion that the application of philosophical methodology in the study of laws, patterns and principles of the development of religious culture in modern society allows them to build a multidimensional typology, including several levels: civilizational, social, anthropological. At each level, it is possible to study dialectical relations both within religious culture and between it and other phenomena, which will allow us to determine the laws and patterns of its development at each level, as well as between them, and will allow us to conduct a predictive analysis of possible further trajectories of the development of this phenomenon, its impact on human destiny and civilization.Discussion and Conclusions. This complex system analysis will be the subject of research not only by the authors of the article, but also by scientific schools that exist on the basis of Mininsky University. The results of this research will form the basis for the study of religious culture in such areas of scientific activity of the university as philosophy of culture, religious studies, philosophy of religion, social philosophy, history of philosophy, philosophical anthropology, theology, pedagogical and psychological sciences.

Are lean and digital engaging better problem solvers? An empirical study on Italian manufacturing firms

PurposeWe studied the relationship between job engagement and systematic problem solving (SPS) among shop-floor employees and how lean production (LP) and Internet of Things (IoT) systems moderate this relationship.Design/methodology/approachWe collected data from a sample of 440 shop floor workers in 101 manufacturing work units across 33 plants. Because our data is nested, we employed a series of multilevel regression models to test the hypotheses. The application of IoT systems within work units was evaluated by our research team through direct observations from on-site visits.FindingsOur findings indicate a positive association between job engagement and SPS. Additionally, we found that the adoption of lean bundles positively moderates this relationship, while, surprisingly, the adoption of IoT systems negatively moderates this relationship. Interestingly, we found that, when the adoption of IoT systems is complemented by a lean management system, workers tend to experience a higher effect on the SPS of their engagement.Research limitations/implicationsOne limitation of this research is the reliance on the self-reported data collected from both workers (job engagement, SPS and control variables) and supervisors (lean bundles). Furthermore, our study was conducted in a specific country, Italy, which might have limitations on the generalizability of the results since cross-cultural differences in job engagement and SPS have been documented.Practical implicationsOur findings highlight that employees’ strong engagement in SPS behaviors is shaped by the managerial and technological systems implemented on the shop floor. Specifically, we point out that implementing IoT systems without the appropriate managerial practices can pose challenges to fostering employee engagement and SPS.Originality/valueThis paper provides new insights on how lean and new technologies contribute to the development of learning-to-learn capabilities at the individual level by empirically analyzing the moderating effects of IoT systems and LP on the relationship between job engagement and SPS.

Problems of Systematization of Contracts for Intellectual Products Creation

Systematization of contracts makes it possible to solve the problems of contractual regulation at the legislative level. The problem of contract systematization in civil law in general and in intellectual property law is that in science there is no unified approach regarding the choice of classification criterion that can be used as its basis. Systematization of contracts aimed at creating intellectual products is a «hot button» of the current legislation, the practice of its application and legal science. The paper reasonably points out that the legislative decisions presented in section VII of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, are ill-conceived and ignore the principle of systematic construction of legislation on contractual obligations aimed at creating intellectual products. An analysis of the rules on contracts aimed at creating works as objects of copyright, and research and development agreements was carried out. The paper proposes amendments to the legislation as to transfer of the rules on the creation of intellectual products to Section IV of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation and changes in the structure and content of Chapter 38 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation.

Energetic analysis and economic viability of active atmospheric water generation technologies

Water scarcity is a growing global and systematic problem in regions with low groundwater availability. Atmospheric water generation (AWG) technologies are an innovative solution to the water shortage problem, as atmospheric water vapor is a readily available resource even in arid regions, with the drawback of high energy consumption. In this paper, the viability of AWG technologies on an energy and economic level is investigated by thermodynamic modeling of three main active AWG systems consisting of cooling condensation, adsorption and absorption processes. A location analysis model is developed to evaluate the performance based on representative weather data of temperature, pressure and relative humidity over a period of one year to account for seasonal shifts and daily variations in climatic conditions. The specific energy consumption kWh/kg, water production trend and total specific cost are calculated for each technology. Water production by seawater desalination at the nearest coastline and transportation to the site by tanker truck, as well as bottled water prices, are used as benchmarks to assess economic viability. The results show that active AWG systems can only be an economically viable alternative if the water consumption site is relatively far from the coast or other water-rich regions and low electricity costs are available (distance >600 km, electricity price <0.10 US$/kWh). Compared to bottled water, all AWG technologies are in a competitive price range. Absorption systems have an energy efficiency advantage over conventional cooling condensation and adsorption systems (cooling condensation: average 0.42 kWh/kg; absorption: average 0.38 kWh/kg; adsorption: average 1.16 kWh/kg), but require a higher degree of process and plant design development. However, because of the high fluctuation in water production, atmospheric water generation technologies should be considered as a complementary supply to conventional water sources.