Rate Of Introduction Research Articles

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the activities of Initial-phase Intensive Support Team for Dementia in Kobe City.

This study aimed to review the activities of the Kobe City Initial-phase Intensive Support Team for Dementia pre- and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, to compare the characteristics of the target population and the performance of the team's activities, and determine the impact of the pandemic on the team's project. The summary data obtained at the time of consultation, team activities, and participants' characteristics were extracted from 662 participants who started to receive support between April 2018 and March 2022. Statistical analysis was performed by dividing the participants into the following two groups: pre- and during COVID-19 pandemic groups. There was no significant difference in the number of new cases or cases that led to a dementia diagnosis between the pre- and during COVID-19 pandemic groups. However, there were significant differences in the number of home visits and rate of introduction of medical care between the two groups. In our study population, the number of participants with financial management difficulties and delusions increased and the number of participants who refused visitations slightly decreased. The Kobe City Initial-phase Intensive Support Team was able to continue its activities during the pandemic partly because the team is an independent, dedicated team. During the pandemic, there was an increase in the number of participants who were isolated because they were deprived of opportunities to interact with others, and who developed delusions and other psychiatric symptoms. Despite this situation, the professional team responded quickly through individual assessment of the individual needs by continuous outreach, taking into account the infection situation, and thus this outreach team functioned well even under the COVID-19 pandemic.

Influence of phytobiotics dose on feed conversion in broiler chickens

The inclusion of Chaga decoction in the compound feed for broiler chickens in the amount of 20 mg, 40 and 60 mg/kg of live weight of the broilers during the entire period of its rearing had a different influence on the digestibility and use of nutrients in the diet. The results of the physiological experiment at the age of 3 weeks of broilers showed that a small dosage of the phytobiotic compared with the control group stimulated an increase in the digestibility of crude protein in the feed by 4.05 abs.%, crude fat by 1.92 abs.%, crude fiber by 1.21 abs.%. With the increase in the dosage of the phytobiotic in the broiler compound feed, the increase in the digestibility of crude fi ber by 2.01–2.12 abs.% was noted. Nitrogen digestibility in poultry with a low rate of Chaga decoction introduction exceeded the control group by 0.16 g, and other experimental groups by 0.13–0.14 g. As a result, the average daily nitrogen deposition in the body of broiler chickens in the group with a low rate of phytobiotic introduction was 2.53 g or 16.1 % higher than in broilers in the control group and 2.3–3.2 % higher than in other experimental groups. At the fi nal stage of broiler chicken rearing, the digestibility of crude protein in the diet of broiler chickens of the 1st experimental group with a low dosage of phytobiotic was higher than in the control group by 3.17 abs.%, crude fat by 4.15 abs.%, crude fi ber by 2.60 abs.%, and nitrogen-free extractive substances by 0.17 abs.%. In broilers of other experimental groups this diff erence was less expressed. A decrease in nitrogen losses with undigested substances in the droppings of broilers of the 1st experimental group increased its deposition by 5.7 %, in other experimental groups only by 0.9–2.1 %. Analysis of the dynamics of live weight of broiler chickens during the rearing period showed that the 1st experimental group with the low dosage of Chaga decoction in the diet increased the absolute gain in live weight in comparison with the control group by 5.0 %, with the 2nd experimental group by 3.4 % and with the 3rd experimental group by 1.4 %, and feed costs accordingly by groups decreased by 4.7 %, 3.2 and 1.5 %.

Revisiting the risk of introduction of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) into the United States – An updated semi-quantitative risk assessment

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is associated with encephalitis in humans and reproductive and neurological illness in pigs. JEV has expanded beyond its native distribution in southeast Asia, with identifications in Europe (2010) and Africa (2016), and most recently, its spread into mainland Australia (2021−2022). The introduction of JEV into the United States (US) is a public health risk, and could also impact animal health and the food supply. To efficiently and cost-effectively manage risk, a better understanding of how and where diseases will be introduced, transmitted, and spread is required. To achieve this objective, we updated our group's previous qualitative risk assessment using an established semi-quantitative risk assessment tool (MINTRISK) to compare the overall rate of introduction and risk, including impacts, of JEV in seven US regions. The rate of introduction from the current region of distribution was considered negligible for the Northeast, Midwest, Rocky Mountain, West, Alaska, and Hawaii regions. The South region was the only region with a pathway that had a non-negligible rate of introduction; infected mosquito eggs and larvae introduced via imported used tires (very low; 95% uncertainty interval (UI) = negligible to high). The overall risk estimate for the South was very high (95% UI = very low to very high). Based on this risk assessment, the South region should be prioritized for surveillance activities to ensure the early detection of JEV. The assumptions used in this risk assessment, due to the lack of information about the global movement of mosquitoes, number of feral pigs in the US, the role of non-ardeid wild birds in transmission, and the magnitude of the basic reproduction ratio of JEV in a novel region, need to be fully considered as these impact the estimated probability of establishment.

Host-feeding preferences and temperature shape the dynamics of West Nile virus: A mathematical model to predict the impacts of vector-host interactions and vector management on [formula omitted]

West Nile virus (WNV) is prevalent across the United States, but its transmission patterns and spatio-temporal intensity vary significantly, particularly in the Eastern United States. For instance, Chicago has long been a hotspot for WNV cases due to its high cumulative incidence of infection, with the number of cases varying considerably from year to year. The abilities of host species to maintain and disseminate WNV, along with eco-epidemiological factors that influence vector-host contact rates underlie WNV transmission potential. There is growing evidence that several vectors exhibit strong feeding preferences towards different host communities. In our research study, we construct a process based weather driven ordinary differential equation (ODE) model to understand the impact of one vector species (Culex pipiens), its preferred avian and non-preferred human hosts on the basic reproduction number (R0). In developing this WNV transmission model, we account for the feeding index, which is defined as the relative preference of the vectors for taking blood meals from a competent avian host versus a non-competent mammalian host. We also include continuous introduction of infected agents into the model during the simulations as the introduction of WNV is not a single event phenomenon. We derive an analytic form of R0 to predict the conditions under which there will be an outbreak of WNV and the relationship between the feeding index and the efficacy of adulticide is highly nonlinear. In our mechanistic model, we also demonstrate that adulticide treatments produced significant reductions in the Culex pipiens population. Sensitivity analysis demonstrates that feeding index and rate of introduction of infected agents are two important factors beside the efficacy of adulticide. We validate our model by comparing simulations to surveillance data collected for the Culex pipiens complex in Cook County, Illinois, USA. Our results reveal that the interaction between the feeding index and mosquito abatement strategy is intricate, especially considering the fluctuating temperature conditions. This induces heterogeneous transmission patterns that need to be incorporated when modelling multi-host, multi-vector transmission models.

Metabolic Trade-Offs Can Reverse the Resource-Diversity Relationship.

AbstractFor species that partition resources, the classic expectation is that increasing resource diversity allows for increased species diversity. On the other hand, for neutral species, such as those competing equally for a single resource, diversity reflects a balance between the rate of introduction of novelty (e.g., by immigration or speciation) and the rate of extinction. Recent models of microbial metabolism have identified scenarios where metabolic trade-offs among species partitioning multiple resources can produce emergent neutral-like dynamics. In this hybrid scenario, one might expect that both resource diversity and immigration will act to boost species diversity. We show, however, that the reverse may be true: when metabolic trade-offs hold and population sizes are sufficiently large, increasing resource diversity can act to reduce species diversity, sometimes drastically. This reversal is explained by a generic transition between neutral- and niche-like dynamics, driven by the diversity of resources. The inverted resource-diversity relationship that results may be a signature of consumer-resource systems with strong metabolic trade-offs.

The shipping industry under the EU Green Deal: An Input-Output impact analysis

In 2021, the European Commission introduced the ‘Fit for 55’ package, a set of policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 55% by the year 2030. This initiative, aligned with the European Green Deal, seeks to make Europe a climate-neutral continent by 2050. A pivotal aspect of ‘Fit for 55’ is the proposed extension of the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) to the shipping industry. According to the European Commission, water transport accounts for 2.5% of global GHG emissions, while the shipping industry accounts for 13% of the EU’s GHG emissions from transportation.This stringent new shipping policy makes it imperative to determine how the world’s economy will respond, considering three distinct implementation proposals with different rates of policy introduction. Evaluating the short-term impacts of the policy is crucial to ensuring that the sustainability initiative is not only ambitious but also pragmatic and adaptable to the realities. To assess the implications, this paper uses the Leontief price model, the environmental input–output (EIO) model, and the OECD Inter-Country Input-Output (ICIO) Table for 2018, which contains information for 45 sectors. The focus is on EU countries and its Top 10 Trading Countries.Our findings show that a short-term trade-off exists between economic and environmental goals and that environmental gains incur economic losses for key stakeholders. They also show that the impact of this policy is felt more by producers in the EU and consumers in non-EU countries than by other agents in the respective countries. Lastly, a recommendation from our study is that the policy should be phased in progressively to provide economic agents with the necessary adjustment time and thus minimize economic losses.

Exploring the Conceptual Framework of Mobile Learning Technology

The idea of introducing new technologies to education is not new, and as a result, research on this topic has been carried out for years. However, the rate of introduction of new technologies in higher education in Uzbekistan is very slow. The purpose of this article is to propose a conceptual framework for the development of mobile learning, in particular, the introduction of mobile applications into the educational process in primary education. This goal is achieved by analyzing the existing measures and the existing foundations of mobile education, which are used to improve the quality of education through the active use of information and communication technologies. The proposed system includes three main elements: applied computing, information systems, and theory of computation. It is important that each of them is done correctly and that there is continuity between them.

Mathematical justification of the optimal rate of selenium introduction into mixed feed for broiler chickens

In recent years, many countries worldwide have been revising the existing standards for introducing trace elements in mixed feed for high-performance crosses and poultry breeds, taking into account new scientific data. This also applies to Selenium, which is recognized as an indispensable biotic ultramicroelement according to the modern classification. The norms for introducing selenium into mixed feed for broiler chickens have specific differences and range from 0.1 to 0.5 mg/kg of feed, which are recommended in different countries and at other times. The reason for the disagreement is probably that the experiments were conducted under different conditions, against the background of different diets, on different poultry crosses, and using other selenium-containing compounds. In addition, the norms of selenium additives recommended by foreign and domestic scientists in mixed feed for broiler chickens are not always supported by mathematical calculations, and, in our opinion, they should be evaluated as indicative, requiring further justification and clarification depending on the regional characteristics of poultry feeding. Two scientific and economic experiments were conducted to determine the optimal rate of introducing selenium into mixed feed for broiler chickens, which lasted 42 days each. The study was conducted on broiler chickens of the Coob 500 cross. Selenium was additionally introduced into mixed feeds for broiler chickens of the experimental groups in doses of 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 mg/kg. Poultry in the control group did not receive Selenium supplementation. Statistical processing of experimental data obtained in two scientific and economic experiments, using graphical, variance, and regression analysis methods, allows us to conclude that the optimal dose of Selenium administration in mixed feed for broiler chickens should be considered 0.3 mg/kg. Feeding broiler chickens during the growing period of mixed feed enriched with Selenium in this amount contributed to a likely increase in their live weight in the first experiment by 7.8 % (Р < 0.001), in the second by 5.1 % (Р < 0.01), compared to the control group. Higher doses of Selenium (0.4 and 0.5 mg/kg) in mixed feed, as well as a lower dose (0.2 mg/kg), caused less intensive growth and lower live weight of broiler chickens of other experimental groups, compared to young animals fed mixed feed with the addition of selenium 0.3 mg/kg.

Productive qualities of broiler chickens at different levels of soluble fraction of fish waste hydrolyzate in feed

The growth and development of broiler chickens at different levels of the soluble fraction of fish waste hydrolyzate in mixed fodder was studied. The processing of commercial fish is accompanied by the formation of secondary resources, the scope of practical application of which is quite wide (fish proteins are a unique natural material used in various industries, but not fully utilized. Wastes resulting from fish processing are a source of valuable nutritional and biologically active substances, and thus serve as raw materials for various products, including dietary supplements. In order to determine the optimal rate of introduction of the soluble fraction of fish waste hydrolyzate into broiler chicken feed, a scientific and economic experiment was conducted that lasted 42 days. The research was conducted on broiler chickens of the Cobb-500 cross. The difference in the feeding of the experimental groups was that broiler chickens of the first (control) group received complete feed, which corresponded to the nutritional standards in all periods, and the additional introduction of a soluble fraction of fish waste hydrolyzate was: The 2nd experimental group received 0.2 % of the feed additive; poultry of the 3rd and 4th experimental groups consumed feed containing 0.4 and 0.6 % of the experimental additive. It was found that an increase in the content of the soluble fraction of fish waste hydrolyzate in the diet by 0.6 % contributes to an increase in live weight of chickens by 266 g, or 10.25 %, and a decrease in feed costs per 1 kg of live weight gain by 3.8 % compared to the control. It was found that during the growing period, broiler chickens of the 4th group had the highest absolute live weight gain of 2823.8 g, which is 2.63 %, 8.32 % and 10.36 % higher than in the 3rd, 2nd experimental and control groups. The use of feed with a soluble fraction of fish waste hydrolyzate in the feed with a content of 0.6 % increased the average daily weight gain for the entire period of the experiment by 7 g, or 11.63 %, and absolute weight gain by 265.2 g, or 10.36 %, respectively.

Managing Technical Staff in a Modern Organization for Successful Business

An obstacle to the introduction of advanced technologies is the shortage of technology specialists. At this time, it is possible to slow down the economic growth of enterprises, as well as to reduce the competitiveness of companies. The reasons for the shortage of qualified personnel are: 1. High rate of introduction of advanced information technologies 2. Rapid growth of e-business 3. Lack of training programs The issue of increasing the effectiveness of personnel management in order to rationally use existing labor resources is very relevant. By stopping the hiring of new employees, managers try to retain technical staff. Issues of labor resource management are still insufficiently studied despite the existence of a serious theoretical and experimental basis. One of the objective reasons that hinders the development of research in this field is the lack of appropriate tools. Modern information technology is the basis that allows a person to expand the researcher's abilities when analyzing the problem under consideration. Managers' requirements for technical staff are determined by: a. Knowledge and experience of working in the existing specialty b. Knowledge of the sales market c. Clarification in the production technologies of a foreign country d. Using them at work There are many categories and within each category there are many different areas, both technical and creative. Engineering and technical personnel can be trained in various directions, such as mechanical engineering, metallurgy, chemical technology, biotechnology, automation, construction, architecture, electrical and radio engineering, food technology, consumer goods research, mechanical engineering, metallurgy, automation, energy, assistance in the adoption of transport process technologies, Thermal energy and heating engineering, personnel training for radio-electronic systems, aircraft engine designers, future fashion designers and other fields. Today young people believe that technical professions are not as prestigious as, for example, a web designer or a photographer. Keywords: technical staff, personnel management, successful business, modern organization.

Increasing the efficiency of the bactericide use at PS-4 of "Ozenmunaigas" JSC

Background: The study is devoted to increasing the efficiency of bactericidal treatment of sediments at the oil fields of Ozenmunaigas JSC. Calculations were carried out to assess the capability of heating the formation and the pipeline, hydraulic heat loss when injecting a bactericide, and the efficiency of mixing the reagent with water. The analysis revealed the ineffectiveness of mixing the bactericide with water at low temperatures and rates of inhibitor introduction.
 Aim: The purpose of the study was to identify solutions to overcome the problems caused by the increased content of hydrogen sulfide in the fields of Ozenmunaigas JSC. This included addressing the temperature issues during bactericide delivery and increasing the rate of inhibitor injection.
 Materials and methods: Heat loss calculations were carried out using the UniSim program for both tank heating and input lines, as well as an analysis of bactericide mixing inside the pipeline using the ANSYS program.
 Results: The results of the study led to specific recommendations and measures that could mitigate the problems associated with temperature and rate of injection. These included measures such as heating and insulation, temperature control, regular inspection of thermal insulation, and selection of a new reagent with improved mixing properties at lower temperatures. It is also recommended to install reagent flow and temperature sensors along with power supply control.
 Conclusion: The implementation of the proposed measures will effectively solve the problems associated with high levels of hydrogen sulfide. This approach will ensure a smooth and safe flow of bactericide and help maintain the operating efficiency of the affected facilities.

Clinical characteristics of Chinese pediatric patients positive for anti-NMDAR and MOG antibodies: a case series.

The cases of MOG-AD (MOG antibody-associated disorder) and anti-NMDAR encephalitis overlapping syndrome (MNOS) are rare, especially among pediatric patients, and their clinical understanding is limited. This study aimed to investigate the clinical manifestations, imaging findings, treatments, and prognosis of Chinese pediatric patients who tested positive for anti-NMDAR and MOG antibodies. This retrospective study enrolled 10 MNOS pediatric patients, 50 MOG-AD (anti-NMDAR antibody-negative), and 81 anti-NMDAR encephalitis (MOG antibody-negative) pediatric patients who were admitted from July 2016 to June 2022 and used their clinical data for comparison. The MNOS patients had a significantly lower incidence of psycho-behavioral abnormalities and involuntary movements than anti-NMDAR antibody (+)/MOG antibody (-) patients and had a significantly higher incidence of sleep disorders, seizures, and psycho-behavioral abnormalities than MOG antibody (+)/anti-NMDAR antibody (-) patients. The MNOS patients had a significantly higher incidence of MRI abnormalities than the anti-NMDAR antibody (+)/MOG antibody (-) patients, while there was no significant difference in the incidence between the MNOS patients and the MOG antibody (+)/anti-NMDAR antibody (-) patients. No significant difference was seen in the initial mRS score between the three groups of patients. The anti-NMDAR antibody (+)/MOG antibody (-) patients had a higher rate of admission to the ICU, a longer length of in-hospital stay, and a higher rate of introduction to second-line treatment than the other two groups of patients. No significant difference was seen in the mRS score at the last follow-up and in the disease recurrence rate between the three groups. All these patients respond well to immunosuppressive therapy. In the presence of psycho-behavioral abnormalities, sleep disorders, and frequent seizures in MOG-AD patients or demyelinating symptoms of the central nervous system or demyelinating lesions on head MRI in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients, the coexistence of MOG and anti-NMDAR antibodies should be considered and would suggest a diagnosis of MNOS for these patients. Immunotherapy is effective among these patients and should be given possibly earlier.

Performance Evaluation of New Table Grape Varieties under High Light Intensity Conditions Based on the Photosynthetic and Chlorophyll Fluorescence Characteristics

The evaluation of photosynthetic characteristics of plants is important for the success rate of germplasm introduction. To select grape varieties with higher adaptability and trait performance, this experiment is aimed at evaluating and comparing the photosynthetic indices, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, photosynthetic pigment content, and leaf characteristics of five Chinese hybrid varieties. The results showed that under high light intensity stress, the leaf growth of ‘Ruidu Cuixia’ was most affected and its specific leaf weight was the lowest, while ‘Jing Hongbao’ had the highest chlorophyll content. The maximum net photosynthetic rate (Pnmax), maximum light quantum yield (Fv/Fm), and apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) were different among varieties. It was reported that the ‘Ruidu Zaohong’ variety had the highest Pnmax. ‘Ruidu Wuheyi’ was found to have the highest Fv/Fm, while the highest AQE was recorded for ‘Ruidu Cuixia’, with intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) and stomatal conductance (gs) at 292.56 μmol·mol−1, 766.56 mmol·m−2·s−1, and 66.8 μmol·m−2·s−1, respectively. The indices of ABS/CSm, TRo/CSm, and DIo/CSm were significantly different among varieties, and these indices of ‘Ruidu Zaohong’ were the highest. Pn was positively correlated with Ci and Tr, gs were positively correlated with Fv and TRo/CSm. The specific leaf area was negatively correlated with Fv/Fm and ΦDIo. The results of the principal component analysis and TOPSIS comprehensive evaluation showed that ‘Jing Hongbao’ and ‘Ruidu Cuixia’ performed best. Overall, the measurement of the photosynthetic characteristics of the plants during the growing period provided valuable data for the varietal introduction strategies. The better photosynthetic performance of ‘Jing Hongbao’ and ‘Ruidu Cuixia’ indicates more adaptability to the long day, high light intensity, and the high-temperature climate of Xinjiang.

Evaluation of Causes of Post-Menopausal Bleeding: A Hospital-Based Study

Midline cerebral congenital malformations, despite their relative rarity in the general population, with their high rate of Introduction: Postmenopausal bleeding is frequent in gynecology and occurs approximately in 5% to 10% of postmenopausal women. But most of the causes of post-menopausal bleeding are benign and treated conservatively. Women with postmenopausal bleeding have a primary or secondary malignancy of about 10%. So before starting treatment malignancy must be excluded. Common malignancies among them are endometrial or cervical carcinoma and rarely, ovarian cancer. The incidence of malignancy in the postmenopausal period remains sufficiently high, so it requires immediate investigations for early diagnosis, prompt treatment, and vigilant follow-up. The objective of the study is to evaluate the causes of postmenopausal bleeding in tertiary care hospitals in Dhaka city. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Delta Medical College and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The study duration spanned 12 months from July 2022 to June 2023. The study population consisted of 72 patients who presented with postmenopausal bleeding. The sampling for this study was conducted using a consecutive sampling method. Ethical approval was obtained from the ethical review committee of the study hospital. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the demographic and clinical characteristics of the study participants. For the statistical analysis, the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: Among 72 cases of postmenopausal bleeding, we found 9 cases of cancer (12.50%). Among them, 2 cases were cancer of the uterine cervix and 7 cases were cancer of the uterine corpus. Benign pathology was more frequent (63 cases: 87.50%), essentially presented atrophic endometritis 15 cases(20.83%), endometrial hyperplasia without atypia27.78% cases, endometrial polyp 16.67% cases, endocervical polyp 5.56% cases, cervical polyp 8.33%, leiomyoma found in 5.53% cases and preinvasive disease about 2.78% cases. Histopathological findings in 2 cases of carcinoma cervix were invasive squamous cell carcinoma and 7cases of endometrial cancer were endometrial adenocarcinoma. Cancer increased with advanced age while the incidence of bleeding decreased with age. Within 45 to 65 years of age is more frequent to develop post-menopausal bleeding. Conclusion: Even though causes of post-menopausal bleeding are mostly benign and treated conservatively but malignancy must be ruled out by endometrial and cervical biopsy.

Clinical impact of catheter insertion for peritoneal dialysis on patient survival and catheter-related complications.

The stepwise initiation of peritoneal dialysis (PD) using Moncrief and Popovich's technique (SMAP) for catheter insertion is recommended for the systemic introduction of PD and prevention of catheter-related infections. In this study, we investigated patient outcomes in patients who underwent insertion of a PD catheter with a direct method versus the SMAP method. We enrolled 295 consecutive patients who underwent PD as a primary renal replacement therapy and underwent insertion of a PD catheter at our institute between 2006 and 2021. We retrospectively reviewed their data and investigated patient outcomes, including mortality and PD catheter-related complications. Median age at PD induction was 65years in the direct insertion group and 65years in the SMAP group (P = 0.80). The rate of PD introduction after emergency hemodialysis was significantly higher in the direct insertion group than in the SMAP group (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in survival between the direct insertion and SMAP groups during the median follow-up period of 54months (P = 0.12). Additionally, patients who transitioned to hemodialysis or kidney transplantation after PD showed significantly longer survival (P < 0.001). The incidence of PD catheter-related complications was not significantly different between the two groups. A body mass index ≥ 23kg/m2 was an independent risk factor for peritonitis and exit-site infection (P = 0.006 and P = 0.011, respectively). Planned sequential renal replacement therapy including hybrid hemodialysis, complete hemodialysis, and kidney transplantation after PD is important for improving patient outcomes. PD catheter insertion by SMAP may not be mandatory in our clinical practice.

THE INFLUENCE OF PHOSPHOGYPSUM ON THE SALT COMPOSITION OF SALINATED SOIL

Global climate changes in many countries of the world lead to the need to use irrigation as a driving factor for obtaining guaranteed and stable harvests of agricultural crops. Irrigation with water of different quality leads not only to an increase in the yield, but also to a change in the salt composition of the soil. The change in the salt composition of soils occurs much faster during irrigation with mineralized water, which leads to the accumulation of soluble salts in the arable layer of the soil and the deterioration of the composition of the soil absorption complex. Accumulation of sodium ions leads to salinization of irrigated soils. It is possible to stop or suspend the salinization processes by introducing chemical melioration with calcium-containing meliorants. As an ameliorant in this work, the use of a by-product of the mineral fertilizers production – phosphogypsum, which contains a significant amount of calcium (up to 95%), replacing exchangeable sodium in the soil absorption complex is proposed. Our researches are related to the establishment of optimal calculation norms and terms of phosphogypsum application, their influence on the change in the components of the soil’s saline extract. The research was conducted on soils that had been irrigated with mineralized water from the Samara River (Ukraine) for a long time (over 50 years). According to the amount of exchangeable sodium, the soils of the experimental sites belonged to low-sodium soils with physical signs of salinization processes, and according to the content of toxic salts-moderately saline. For phosphogypsum in the soil-ameliorative conditions of the Northern Steppe of Ukraine, the ameliorative, agronomic, and ecologically safe rates of introduction in spring and autumn were calculated. The scheme of experiments provided options with sprinkler irrigation and without irrigation. The composition of the aqueous extract was determined by indicators of anion-cation content. During the research, a gradual decrease in the number of sulfates was observed: by 1.5% in the second year after exposure, and by 7.5% in the third year after exposure to phosphogypsum. The number of hydrocarbons decreased in irrigated areas where phosphogypsum was applied, and an increase in their content was observed in areas where irrigation was not carried out. Irrigation options were characterized by a significant increase in the content of chlorine ions, which is explained by the arrival of these ions exclusively with irrigation water. The degree of salinity was determined by pH and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR). Based on these indicators, it was established that the soils are slightly saline in all variants of the experiments. As a result of multi-year research, a positive effect of phosphogypsum melioration on the anion-cation composition of water extract and the degree of soils salinity irrigated with mineralized water for a long time was noted. According to the anionic composition, the chemistry of the soils in the experimental plots was sulfate in the variants where phosphogypsum was applied and vegetation irrigation was carried out and without irrigation, while in the control plots (without phosphogypsum and without irrigation) soda-sulfate chemistry was characterized. The chemistry of the soils in the experimental areas according to the cationic composition was sodium in all versions of the experiments. According to the sodium-adsorption ratio (SAR), the degree of soil salinization belonged to the slightly saline type, while the average type of salinity remained in the control plots without phosphogypsum.

Synthesis of Magnesium- and Aluminum-Based Mixed Oxide Systems by Low and High Supersaturation Methods

Magnesium–aluminum layered double hydroxides and mixed oxides based on them were obtained by high and low supersaturation methods and analyzed. It was shown that the phase composition and formation of nano-sized particles with a large surface area is significantly affected by the rate of introduction of magnesium–aluminum systems into the medium of the precipitated material. All of the obtained samples were studied by thermogravimetric analysis with mass-spectrometric detection, X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and infrared spectroscopy.

The rate and direction of technological change and wealth and income inequalities in advanced countries

The paper uses Schumpeter's legacy tools to analyze the specific and distinctive effects of the rates and directions of technological change on the two distinct ingredients of the income distribution – wage and wealth inequality. It argues that the trend towards rising wage and wealth inequalities in high-income countries could be limited by the Schumpeterian creative destruction brought by the introduction of radical technological change with clear labor-intensive and capital-saving biases. Radical and labor-intensive, job-enriching technological change can contribute to decreasing wealth inequality and increasing both the share of labor in income and its even distribution across workers, thereby reducing wage and income inequality generally. Empirical evidence from a large sample of advanced high-income countries over the period 1995 to 2011 supports the hypothesis that rapid rates of introduction of radical and labor-intensive technological change are a valid antidote to income inequality in advanced countries.

Evaluation of radiation dose reduction in head CT using the half-dose method

PurposeThe present study introduced the half-dose method (HDM), which halves the radiation dose for conventional head computed tomography (CT), for postoperative hydrocephalus and follow-up for craniosynostosis at a children’s hospital. This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of selective head CT scanning optimization towards the overall reduction of radiation exposure.Materials and methodsWe retrospectively assessed 1227 and 1352 head CT examinations acquired before and after the introduction of the HDM, respectively, in children aged 0–15 years. The radiation exposure was evaluated using the CT dose index volume (CTDI-vol), dose-length product (DLP), rate of HDM introduction, and effect of reducing in-hospital radiation dose before and after the introduction of the HDM. For an objective evaluation of the image quality, head CT scans acquired with HDM and full-dose method (FDM) were randomly selected, and the image noise standard deviation (SD) was measured for each scan. In addition, some HDM images were randomly selected and independently reviewed by two radiologists.ResultsThe HDM was introduced in 27.9% of all head CTs. The mean CTDI-vol of all head CTs was 21.5 ± 6.9 mGy after the introduction, a 14.9% reduction. The mean DLP was 418.4 ± 152.9 mGy.cm after the introduction, a 17.2% reduction. Compared to the FDM images, the noise SD of the HDM ones worsened by almost 0.9; however, none of the images were difficult or impossible to evaluate.ConclusionThe HDM yielded diagnostically acceptable images. In addition, a change in protocol for only two diseases successfully reduced the patients’ overall radiation exposure by approximately 15%. Introducing and optimizing the HDM for frequently performed target diseases will be useful in reducing the exposure dose for the hospital’s patient population.

Invading the Greek Seas: Spatiotemporal Patterns of Marine Impactful Alien and Cryptogenic Species

The Greek Seas are greatly exposed to the proliferation of marine alien species. At least 242 alien species have been reported within Greek territorial waters, three-quarters of which are considered established, while their rate of introduction is increasing. Some of these species exhibit high invasiveness, imposing severe impacts on native ecosystems and ecosystem services. The spatiotemporal proliferation of these species outside their natural boundaries depends on several parameters, including their biological characteristics, native distribution range, introduction pathway, and time of initial introduction. Knowing the current and potential alien species distribution is essential for the implementation of effective management actions. To investigate the distribution of impactful cryptogenic and alien species (ICAS) in the Greek Seas, we combined all records available until the end of 2020 from eight types of data sources: (1) scientific literature, (2) grey literature, (3) offline databases, (4) online scientific databases, (5) personal observations of independent researchers, (6) communications with divers and diving centers, (7) in situ underwater sampling, and (8) social networks. The results of 5478 georeferenced records refer to 60 marine ICAS belonging to 16 taxonomic groups. The number of records and the overall number of ICAS present an increasing trend from the northern to the southern parts of our study area, and there is a clear distinction in community composition between the northern and southern subregions. This latitudinal gradient is mainly due to the large number of thermophilous Lessepsian species of West Indo-Pacific origin, which reach the southern parts of the study area through unaided dispersal. On the other hand, transport stowaways appear to be more prevalent in areas located near large ports, which show significant differences in ICAS numbers and community composition compared to sites located far from ports. Most records (&gt;40% of the total) were associated with rocky reefs, partly reflecting the preference of divers for this habitat type but also the presence of conspicuous, reef-associated impactful fish. The number of published records, as well as the number of reported ICAS, shows a dramatic increase with time, highlighting the urgent need for immediate proactive management actions and scientifically informed control measures.