Regional Research Project Research Articles

Optimal Network Design for Municipal Waste Management: Application to the Metropolitan City of Rome

This work is part of the regional research project PIPER—Intelligent Platform for the Optimization of Recycling Operations, which aims to develop a network design model for waste collection in the metropolitan city of Rome, Italy. The goal is to enhance the strategic planning of treatment and disposal facilities by incorporating transshipment locations to improve the efficiency of waste collection. The motivation for this study stems from the stringent targets set by the European Green Deal to achieve near-zero emissions and the critical role of waste management in realizing circular economy practices. Methods: The problem is formulated as a mixed integer linear program (MILP) that includes constraints on vehicle allocation to shifts and driver requirements. An additional feature of the model is its ability to account for vehicle maintenance issues when deployed on consecutive shifts. Results: The model was tested against a real-world case study in Rome and demonstrated significant potential savings, with a reduction in total traveled distance exceeding 10%. The mathematical model was also used for evaluating strategic scenarios in a “what-if” analysis, allowing the municipal collection company to assess location options for depots, waste treatment facilities, and transshipment points, as well as to optimize the fleet composition and driver allocation during work shifts. Conclusions: This study presents a robust tool for strategic planning in waste collection operations, highlighting the benefits of using transshipment locations to improve efficiency. The findings indicate substantial potential for cost savings and operational improvements, making the model a valuable asset for municipal waste management planning.

Material characteristic of Vetvisty creek placer gold and prospects for atypical-source deposits in the middle course of the Selennyakh river (Momsky and Abyisky district, Yakutia)

Background. The lower-middle course of the Selennyakh River in the Momsky and Abyisky districts of the Republic of Sakha, Yakutia, is characterized by a wide distribution of alluvial gold placers. The absence of obvious potential primary sources of these placers raises the question of their identification. Aim. To identify sources of gold placers found in interfluve area of the Selennyakh and Indigirka rivers, as well as to assess the gold-bearing potential of this area.Materials and methods. The data on the studied area obtained in previous works was analyzed. Microprobe analysis (CSRF IGEM RAS) was used to study the composition of alluvial gold grains sampled during field works in the Vetvisty Creek, the right tributary of the Selennyakh River, conducted in 2020–2021. The mineral composition of heavy concentrate was also studied.Results. The source of the gold placer under study was established to be an intermediate reservoir, i.e., Neogene coarse sand and gravel. Possible paths of gold transit within the placer were revealed. Theoretically, this allows enriched layers in the sediments feeding the placer to be localized.Conclusion. In order to replenish the gold mineral base of the country, including in such hard-toreach regions as the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, regional research projects should be resumed. In addition, new models should be developed for forecasting and prospecting of atypical placer deposits, with gold sources from Tertiary sediments filling large Cenozoic depressions in the western rim of the Yano-Indigirskaya lowland).

Harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site and requirements for trilateral monitoring

The harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is considered part of the ‘Outstanding Universal Value’ characterising the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site (WS WHS). The Trilateral Wadden Sea Plan aims to preserve the conservation status of the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation Area, encompassing the WS WHS. The plan has specified two conservation targets for the harbour porpoise: (1) viable stocks and a natural reproduction capacity and (2) conservation of habitat quality for its conservation. To assess the current occurrence of the harbour porpoise in the Wadden Sea area, we collated and analysed data from regional and national research projects using telemetry, aerial surveys, strandings and passive acoustic monitoring, obtained over the years 1990–2020. The results illustrate that porpoises occur in both offshore and intertidal waters, showing seasonal movements and changes in local occurrence over time. Some porpoises displayed limited home ranges throughout the year, suggesting a possible residency for some of the animals using the Wadden Sea area. We also showed that methods, frequency and spatial coverage of monitoring activities vary among the countries Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands. We discuss the suitability of the different methods both regarding the challenges of monitoring in the complex Wadden Sea habitat as well as their ability to target the conservation aims of the WHS. We give several recommendations to assess the status of the species to meet the identified conservation aims.

69 The Bigger Picture of Phenomics: Whole-System Support for Systems Research, Models and Databases

Abstract Phenomics started with Mendel’s elegantly simple empirical studies. Soon after, Fisher discovered purines were rich in nuclei of all cells. A century later, we have the technology to compare the actual base pair sequence of DNA and RNA with the outward expressions of phenotypes. We have sire evaluation based on genomic and phenomic measure. But, being human, it is quite common to get immersed in exciting technology and tend to forget why we developed the technology in the first place. We only refer to ensuring a stable efficient food supply of plants and animals in the reports that we expect decision makers to read and give us more money. It is, however, truly wonderful that we now have the techniques to study the questions of the ages. But the future of phenomics is built on the foundations of the past. In 1974, A. E. Freeman and others convened a meeting under the mechanism of the newly formed Regional Research Project 2 on Defining the Inefficiency of Animal Production. From that workshop came the first modern multistate genetic study in dairy cattle with the objective to compare the phenotypes (milk component production, energy and nitrogen metabolism, hormones) of dairy animals that were born from bulls of High (+795 kg PTAM) and Low (167 kg PTAM) bulls. Please remember this study was designed in the mid 1970s and the first data collected in the early 1980s, decades before efficient methods of DNA and RNA composition were available. Studies conducted at Washington State University demonstrated marked genetic and environmental differences in adipose tissues of dairy animals. Enzymes involved with catabolic reactions were highly associated with High PTAM bulls while enzymes associated with anabolic reactions in adipose tissue were more closely related to increased energy intake regardless of genetic background. With mRNA chips, we were able, after almost 40 years, to directly relate variation in mRNA expression in the adipose tissue with the genetic background of the animals. This was the first such discovery in the field, and has led to more defined and expansive phenomics studies. In the year 2023, the use of genomics, phenomics, databases, large scale, cooperative studies and team science are specific recommendations, strategies and goals of the USDA, NIFA, The National Academies, and Land-Grant Universities. The AgBioData consortium is one example of international teams working together to expand the use of genetic and genomic databases, to prepare undergraduate and graduate level educational materials on FAIR databases and to encourage and support sustainable, robustly funded public and private partnerships in the use of integrated studies and large databases, including phenomics, with the sole purpose of expanding a robust, resilient, safe and plentiful food supply.

Clinical Validation of a Program for Diagnosing Vision-Threatening Diabetic Retinopathy Based on Automatic Segmentation Algorithms

Background. Diabetic retinopathy is a very common, debilitating disease that requires early diagnosis and treatment. The development of new screening methods is a priority area of medicine in recent years. Purpose: Approbation of the software (SW) based on algorithms for automatic segmentation of signs of DR “Retina AI” in clinical practice, the study of the capabilities of the software “Retina AI” in the diagnosis of vision-threatening DR.Methods. Analysis of clinical data obtained from patients undergoing diagnostics and treatment at the Federal Research and Clinical Center for Specialized Types of Medical Care and Medical Technologies of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia and the Moscow Regional Scientific Research Clinical Institute. 123 photographs of the fundus were analyzed using the RETINA.AI platform. Fundus photography was carried out using a fundus camera VISUCAM 500 (Zeiss).Results. In the process of analyzing fundus photographs with Retina AI algorithms, a high efficiency of automatic detection of vision-threatening retinopathy was revealed. The accuracy of the method in diagnosing vision-threatening DR was 95 %, sensitivity — 96.59 %, specificity — 91.4 %, ROC AUC — 0.94.Conclusion. The DR diagnostic program based on adaptive segmentation algorithms is a tool for solving the DR screening problem.

Building knowledge broker capacities during the regional research project: lessons learnt from the West African Health Organisation

The aim of the article was to understand how its project entitled "moving maternal, newborn and child evidence into policy in West Africa" funded under the Canadian initiative has helped the West African Health Organisation to better build its role as a knowledge broker in West Africa. A case study approach was adopted to allow for the validation or otherwise of stated hypotheses using context, actor, process, and outcome data. WAHO as a HPRO has been able through the Moving Maternal Newborn and Child Health Evidence into policy in West Africa project to play the role of KB through strengthening collaboration between policy makers and researchers, generating knowledge for a better understanding of the evidence use environment in the field of maternal and child health, and finally through the implementation of actions to create an enabling environment for the use of evidence to influence health policy and practice. Weaknesses were noted and mostly corrected in the implementation process. The commitment of senior management and other stakeholders, the implementation of the project using the strengths of the institution, the collaboration with regional experts, the provision of additional human resources and the use of evidence in planning project activities facilitate this capacity building. The experience gained enabled the organisation during the COVID-19 pandemic to continue to facilitate the use of evidence for decision making by policy makers in West Africa.

VISUALIZATION OF INDEPENDENT WORK OF LAW STUDENTS IN THE CONDITIONS OF BLENDED LEARNING

The article highlights the life and scientific achievements of Olexandr Tverdokhliebov (historian, ethnographer, writer, teacher, member of the Kharkiv Historical and Philological Society, archivist of the Kharkiv Historical and Philological Society, member of the project of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Empire, dedicated to various studies activist, member of the Okhtyrka Enlightenment (1917–1918), whose scientific work on the history of Sloboda and Left-Bank Ukraine still remains on time and which significance of works for historical and regional scientific research on the history of Slobidska Ukraine. The manuscripts of the researcher, which are stored in the funds of the Okhtyrka Museum of Local Lore, archival institutions, confirming the exceptional importance of works for historical and regional scientific research on the history of Sloboda Ukraine, which are published and currently important nowadays. The historical essay «City of Akhtyrka» describes all aspects of life of the inhabitants of the provincial Slobozhansk city in Kharkiv province in the XIX century, where the author delinetes the historical and geographical features of the city, its physical and geographical characteristics, settlement history and version of the origin of the city name. The industrial development of the city of Okhtyrka is illuminated in the work «The fate of the tobacco factory, established under Peter I in Akhtyrka», where the historian described the socio-economic and production conditions of tobacco growing and tobacco production. In the research and description of Orthodox parishes, churches and monasteries of Okhtyrka district of Kharkiv province, which are described in the work «On the history of Skelsky monastery». The author showed the formation of the monastery economy, in particular, its land tenure, which was an extremely important issue for the monastery, which was associated with the names of famous in the Left Bank of Ukraine family Shimonovsky, Hetmans I. Mazepa and I. Skoropadsky. The creative work of the historian includes explorations dedicated to Kotelevshchina, where the author provided information about the geographical location, socio-economic development of the region; archaeological monuments, features and descriptions of Kotelva buildings. Tverdokhlebov's ethnographic studies for the purpose of collecting folklore material became the basis of scientific ideas, methods of collecting ethnographic materials.The researcher managed to record many songs, thoughts of blind people, lyre players, bandura players of Okhtyrka district, which were written from lyricists Glushchenko and Gordienko. Ethnographic explorations became the basis for writing the works «Old World Carnival», «Popivna», «From the Past and Present Povorsklania» and others. O. Tverdokhlebov as a participant in the project of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Empire, which was devoted to the study of handicrafts in different regions, studied pottery, leather, blacksmithing, sailing of several districts of Kharkiv province, the results of which were published in the third issue «Proceedings of the Commission for the Study of Handicrafts of the Kharkiv Province of Akhtyrsky District» 1885,where handicraft tools and means, living and working premises of craftsmen of Boromlya, Okhtyrka, Kuzemin, Kotelva and other settlements were illuminated and demographic characteristics of artisans (marital status, surnames, etc.) were described, also economic side of crafts and many other important issues that contribute to an objective assessment of the then state of folk crafts in Slobozhanshchina were outlined. The researcher focuses on the economy, culture, life, handicrafts, education, spiritual heritage of Slobozhanshchina, which are reflected in the work of the scientist «Hereditary Colonel», «Akhtyrka city», «Kotelva», «The fate of the tobacco factory founded by Peter I in Akhtyrka», «Century of Akhtyrsky district school (1790 – 1890)», «Akhtyrsky district on the eve of the XIX century» etc.

Information and library aspects of communication in the Siberian agricultural science

The article presents a generalized vision of the place and role of the Siberian Scientific Agricultural Library (SIBSAL), libraries and information units of scientific organizations of agricultural profile of Siberia in the scientific communications system. The dynamics of SIBSAL interaction with the libraries of regional scientific research institutions (SRI) in connection with changes in the political and economic life of the country in the 1990-s are considered. Approaches to changing the concept of methodological management of libraries and information departments of specialized organizations are presented. Influence of fundamental transformations, entailing the reform of the scientific field and digitalization of the society, on the change in SIBSAL status, its functions and the model of interaction with NRU is described. There are given the results of scientific research conducted in 2017-2021 to study the state and development of the information support system of agricultural science, during which data were collected on changes in the organizational and legal form of scientific institutions, their activities, individual information preferences of scientists, and also information about the current state of the information and library system of agricultural science of Siberia. In connection with the creation of a new interregional association, tasks are set to study the state of libraries and information units of the Agricultural Research Institute of the Far Eastern and Arctic region, which will expand the boundaries of communication in the agricultural information space.

Challenges confronting efficient port performance of selected countries in the Eastern Caribbean: what are the opportunities for Antigua and Barbuda?

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to shed light on emerging issues threatening the Eastern Caribbean and to suggest how Antigua's Port Authority redevelopment can assist in solving a major challenge. The fact that the ports have not improved in key areas appears to be impacting the ability of carriers to maintain their service to the region. The ongoing development being undertaken in Antigua represents the first major Port improvement project ever undertaken within this part of the world. This article reflects the impact this new facility will have on Antigua and the surrounding islands.Design/methodology/approachThe main inputs to this article were an extensive review of various regional and international journals and research projects; interviews with regional academics and port professionals; personal knowledge and experience and assessment of key industry data.FindingsThe continued departure of cargo lines from the region is an issue that requires urgent attention. Regional ports are not equipped with the infrastructure, technology, labor reforms and human resource capacity to entice new entries to the region. The displacement of cargo vessels by cruise ships also remains a major issue. The Port Authority of Antigua with its modern infrastructure and a cadre of technically trained people represents an option for a hub-and-spoke port and logistic operation.Research limitations/implicationsA follow-on study could usefully analyze the reduction in container lines serving the Caribbean/Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) between 1995 to the present day and the impact on trade and shipping costs.Practical implicationsIf it can become a regional hub, the Antigua Port Authority can serve as a lifeline to struggling carriers. This could result in improved regional connectivity and profit improvement for the carriers. It could also encourage regional participation in investment and employment opportunities.Social implicationsThe result of improving connectivity and intra-regional commerce will have a significant social impact within the OECS as economic integration improves. The free movement of people will finally be supported by the free movement of goods.Originality/valueThe article considers the concept of a dedicated container terminal within the Eastern Caribbean and the additional services being offered by the first Eastern Caribbean Port to upgrade its port infrastructure in the region.

ПРОЕКТИРОВАНИЕ НЕПРЕРЫВНОЙ ОРГАНИЗАЦИОННО-ПЕДАГОГИЧЕСКОЙ ПОДДЕРЖКИ СЕЛЬСКОЙ ШКОЛЫ

The article reveals the main directions of designing organizational and pedagogical support for rural schools in the context of the reform of professional education in the Russian Federation, based on the materials of « Kalmyk State University named after B.B. Gorodovikov», in the process of implementing the project « Scientific and pedagogical support of the teacher of a rural school in the system of continuous higher education». The goal of the project is to implement organizational, managerial, control and diagnostic conditions for the development of the continuous pedagogical education system to provide the population with affordable high-quality education involving the use of innovative, primarily digital network technologies, and the creation of a career guidance system. Project objectives: 1. Development of organizational and pedagogical infrastructure, information base and mobility of the continuous education system in the Republic of Kalmykia. 2. Preparing students in rural schools for a conscious choice of a profession, for obtaining pedagogical specialities. 3. Increasing the volume of the university's participation in the implementation of large-scale and socially significant federal and regional research and educational projects, significant scientific and applied problems. The project aims at increasing the social status and prestige of teacher labor, updating the content and structure of higher pedagogical education through the use of networked educational models; conducting targeted recruitment, creating conditions for rural youth to receive higher pedagogical education; providing the population of the Republic of Kalmykia with affordable high-quality modern education, involving the use of innovative, primarily digital, network technologies; an increase in the average USE score of students enrolled in undergraduate programs in the direction of «Pedagogical Education» is at least 70. The project provides for measures to create «growth points» in rural schools aimed at creating a system for identifying and supporting future teachers striving for self-actualization, self-realization, scientific pedagogical stimulation of improving educational performance, the activities of teachers in rural schools; the activities of the consortium «Evidence-based pedagogy» as the most important resource for the implementation of the priority national project «Education».

How women in agricultural economics expanded the profession's role in food safety and nutrition

AbstractIncreased policy interest in food safety and nutrition issues in the 1980s and 1990s was coincident with the growth in women's participation in agricultural economics. In pursuing these new research challenges, women expanded the scope, impact, and gender participation of agricultural economics. In addition to pursuing cutting‐edge research, women provided leadership in building institutions to support this sub‐field. Four institutions—the NE‐165 Regional Research Project, The Food Industry Center at University of Minnesota, the Food Economics Division at USDA/ERS, and the Food Safety and Nutrition Section of the AAEA—owe much of their contributions to women's leadership.

탐색적 데이터 분석(EDA) 기법을 통한 지역관광계획 수립 실태와 구조 분석

Using the method of exploratory data analysis and text mining analysis, this study analyzed the regional tourism plan research project structure of South Korea from 2014 to 2018 in terms of research grant amount, research types and funding institutions. It also explored the relationships among regional tourism research topics through a semantic approach. In order to achieve the goals of the study, ‘Actual State of Tourism Development Plans’, which were established by ‘Central and Local Governments and Policy Task’, were used for the data analyses. Results showed that the budget of each regional tourism planning projects was not proportional to the annual growth rate of the number of local tourism planning projects. It was also found that local governments were the major funding agencies for the regional tourism development plan projects. Only a few of the research projects were funded by business sectors or local communities. Results also showed that Gangwon province conducted the most number of regional tourism planning projects, while Jeollanam province used the most amount of research money for the regional tourism planning. In terms of the research topic numbers, basic regional tourism master planning were the most and it was followed by the master plan changes. Results of this study could be used for an appropriate decision making for the regional tourism planning research directions and the amount of research grant in the future.

ELaunceston Revisited – A Novel Regional Research Project from 1999

An historical paper from 1999 is republished because of its relevance to using digital communications to boost regional communities and their digital economies. Telstra Research Laboratories created a community website for Launceston Tasmania, with local stakeholder oversight, to test whether locally oriented information can increase the value of the Internet to existing users and make digital access more attractive to non-users.

Формирование населения и динамика развития российского Севера в 1920-е гг.

Based on the analysis of All-Union Population Census of 1926 and a wide range of general and regional scientific research, the author studies the processes of demographic and economic development of territories located in the Russian North and conventionally designated by the author as regions of Euro-pean, Ural, Siberian and Far Eastern North. The paper identifies key trends and features of Northern re-gions' development in the 1920s, caused by the first Soviet reforms of the administrative-territorial struc-ture of the country, economic development and national state policy, which had an impact on the demo-graphic processes in the regions including population size, its composition and settlement structure. It is found that the economic development was the most active in the bordering areas, where intensive development of industry and transportation implied the need to strengthen national defense and expand trade and economic ties. This mainly concerned the regions of the European and Far Eastern North. The regions that were rich in natural resources, especially gold deposits, such as Yakutia, also developed more actively. Other regions of Ural and Siberian North developed in a more traditional way, based on growth of wood harvesting and fishing industry. Improving of living conditions of the indigenous peoples of the North, material support for their farms, medical care and legal assistance, introduction of education among the population in the 1920s had a positive impact on the economic and demographic development of the indigenous population.

261 Using Technology to Improve Inpatient Surgical Lists

Abstract Introduction Every day in our surgical department; prior to our quality improvement project, Junior Doctors spent on average 3.26 clinical hours maintaining 5 surgical inpatient lists of different specialities with accessibility of lists rated as “neutral” based on a 5-point scale from difficult to easy. Our hospital previously had lists stored locally on designated computers causing recurrent difficulties in accessing and editing these lists. Method We used surveys sent to clinicians to collect data. Cycle 1: Surgical Assessment Units list on Microsoft Teams Cycle 2: Addition of surgical specialities and wards lists onto Microsoft Teams. Cycle 3 (current): expand the use of Microsoft Teams to other specialities. Results Utilising technology led to a 25% reduction in time spent on maintaining inpatient lists, to 2.46 hours a day, and an improvement in the accessibility of lists to “easy”. Across a year, this saves over 220 hours clinician hours which can be used towards patient care and training. Furthermore, use of Microsoft Teams has improved communication and patient care, in the form of virtual regional Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings and research projects. Conclusions Microsoft Teams is currently free to all NHS organisations in England so there is potential for these efficiency savings to be replicated nationwide.

Oleksandr Tverdokhliebov – historian, ethnographer, literator

The article highlights the life and scientific achievements of Olexandr Tverdokhliebov (historian, ethnographer, writer, teacher, member of the Kharkiv Historical and Philological Society, archivist of the Kharkiv Historical and Philological Society, member of the project of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Empire, dedicated to various studies activist, member of the Okhtyrka Enlightenment (1917–1918), whose scientific work on the history of Slobidska and Left-Bank Ukraine still remains on time and which significance of works for historical and regional scientific research on the history of Slobidska Ukraine. The manuscripts of the researcher, which are stored in the funds of the Okhtyrka Museum of Local Lore, archival institutions, confirming the exceptional importance of works for historical and regional scientific research on the history of Slobidska Ukraine, which are published and currently important nowadays. The historical essay “City of Akhtyrka” describes all aspects of life of the inhabitants of the provincial Slobozhansk city in Kharkiv province in the XIX century, where the author delineates the historical and geographical features of the city, its physical and geographical characteristics, settlement history and version of the origin of the city name. The industrial development of the city of Okhtyrka is illuminated in the work “The fate of the tobacco factory, established under Peter I in Akhtyrka”, where the historian described the socioeconomic and production conditions of tobacco growing and tobacco production. In the research and description of Orthodox parishes, churches and monasteries of Okhtyrka district of Kharkiv province, which are described in the work “On the history of Skelsky monastery”. The author showed the formation of the monastery economy, in particular, its land tenure, which was an extremely important issue for the monastery, which was associated with the names of famous in the Left Bank of Ukraine family Shimonovsky, Hetmans I. Mazepa and I. Skoropadsky. The creative work of the historian includes explorations dedicated to Kotelevshchina, where the author provided information about the geographical location, socio-economic development of the region; archaeological monuments, features and descriptions of Kotelva buildings. Tverdokhlebov’s ethnographic studies for the purpose of collecting folklore material became the basis of scientific ideas, methods of collecting ethnographic materials. The researcher managed to record many songs, thoughts of blind people, lyre players, bandura players of Okhtyrka district, whi ch were written from lyrici sts Glushchenko and Gordienko. Ethnographic explorations became the basis for writing the works “Old World Carnival”, “Popivna”, “From the Past and Present Povorsklania” and others. O. Tverdokhlebov as a participant in the project of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Empire, which was devoted to the study of handicraf ts i n different regions, studied pottery, leather, blacksmithing, sailing of several districts of Kharkiv province, the results of which were published in the third issue “Proceedings of the Commission for the Study of Handicrafts of the Kharkiv Province of Akhtyrsky District” 1885, where handicraft tools and means, living and working premises of craftsmen of Boromlya, Okhtyrka, Kuzemin, Kotelva and other settlements were illuminated and demographic characteristics of artisans (marital status, surnames, etc.) were described, also economic side of crafts and many other important issues that contribute to an objective assessment of the then state of folk crafts in Slobozhanshchina were outlined. The researcher focuses on the economy, culture, life, handicrafts, education, spiritual heritage of Slobozhanshchina.

Early Development of Indonesian Cotton with Enhanced Resilience to Climate Change through Mutation Breeding

Indonesia is one of the top ten largest textile producer countries in the world. However, only 1-2 % of the national cotton demand was produced locally. The total value of imported cotton in Indonesia is nearly US$ 1 billion/year in 2017. Some of the production restrains were few cotton cultivars which are tailored specifically for Indonesian climate, only some regions of Indonesia are suited for cotton cultivation, and most cotton farmers rely on rainfed irrigation. Induced mutations are widely used for the introduction of genetic changes, particularly in crops that are not easily improved through conventional techniques. IAEA initiated a regional research project for cotton breeding in Asia region. Indonesia was invited to join this program in 2018, made it in total eight participating countries. Some genotypes from NIAB - Pakistan was distributed to all members as exchange germplasm to be utilized in adaptation trials and also used as genetic materials in each country breeding projects. At present, the Indonesian cotton mutation breeding is an ongoing program in M2 generation using irradiated three cotton cultivars (NIAB-KIRAN, NIAB-112 and NIAB-777).

VISUALIZATION OF THE GEOPHYSICAL SETTINGS IN THE PHILIPPINE SEA MARGINS BY MEANS OF GMT AND ISC DATA

The presented research aimed to perform geophysical modelling (gravity and geoid) and to evaluate the spatio-temporal variation of the marine geological data (distribution and depth of earthquakes) using combination of the Generic Mapping Tools (GMT) and available sources from the International Seismological Centre (ISC-EHB) that produce data on earthquakes as part of seismic survey and regional research projects. The target study area is a Philippine Sea basin (PSB) with two focused marginal areas: Philippine Trench and Mariana Trench, two hadal trenches located in the places of the tectonic plates subduction. Marine free-air gravity anomaly in the PSP shows higher values (>80 mGal) of the gravity fields structure at the volcanic areas and Philippine archipelago. Current study presented comparative geophysical analysis, and mapping free-air gravity and geoid in the Philippine Sea basin area. As a result of this study, the average level of earthquakes located in the Philippine Trench and Mariana Trench areas were compared, and those located in the Philippine archipelago are determined to be in the souther-western part (area of west Mindanao, south-west Visayas islands), while Luzon Islands shown shallower located earthquakes. The results on the Mariana Trench segment shown shallower located earthquakes compared of the other marginal regions of the Philippine Sea Basin. Current paper contributes to the studies on natural hazards through visualization and analysis of the earthquakes activities (occurrence and magnitude intensity), due to increasing interest to the problems of seismicity in the Pacific Ocean, which may have environmental effects causing harmful consequences and possible risks for coastal population of the Philippine islands through aftershocks and tsunami.

Finland’s Arctic strategy: international cooperation and legal aspects

The article is devoted to the issues of international cooperation of Finland in the Arctic in the sphere of environment on a stable international legal basis. The international cooperation in the Arctic began at the government level in 1991 at Rovaniemi at the meeting of the Arctic countries ministers. The improvement of the regulatory and legal framework for environmental protection and perfection of the legal instruments of interaction with international environmental organizations is a priority task in the development of the Arctic zone. The development of interstate relations is promoted by a multitude of Arctic forums and discussion platforms that unite Finland and Russia in virtue of these countries geographical neighbourhood and trade and economic relations. Finland actively stands for mutually beneficial bilateral and multilateral cooperation with the Arctic countries on the basis of international treaties and agreements, and favours international scientific and technical cooperation within the framework of global and regional technological and research projects in the Arctic. The international attention to the prospects of the Arctic, as well as Finlands climate-related agreements and commitments, required a revision of the national legislation on environmental. In the first 11 months of 2018, the Parliament of Finland received 265 draft bills in the sphere of ecology for consideration. The protection of indigenous small-numbered nations, their original habitat and traditional way of life is based on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In the authors opinion, the study and application of the experience and achievements in the field of digital technologies in legal science in Finland will give a positive impetus to the perfection of the Russian digital model of legal groundwork for the Arctic, it will favour the improvement of the regulatory and legal framework for laying the foundations of state governance of the Russian Federation Arctic Zone and for legislative recognition of its status as a special object of state regulation, and it will also promote development of technologies for legal monitoring, legal prognostication and expert examination of international projects of statutory legal acts.

Comprehensive review into the challenges of gastrointestinal tumors in the Gulf and Levant countries.

Although gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare, with an incidence of 1/100000 per year, they are the most common sarcomas in the peritoneal cavity. Despite considerable progress in the diagnosis and treatment of GIST, about half of all patients are estimated to experience recurrence. With only two drugs, sunitinib and regorafenib, approved by the Food and Drug Administration, selecting treatment options after imatinib failure and coordinating multidisciplinary care remain challenging. In addition, physicians across the Middle East face some additional and unique challenges such as lack of published local data from clinical trials, national disease registries and regional scientific research, limited access to treatment, lack of standardization of care, and limited access to mutational analysis. Although global guidelines set a framework for the management of GIST, there are no standard local guidelines to guide clinical practice in a resource-limited environment. Therefore, a group of 11 experienced medical oncologists from across the Gulf and Levant region, part of the Rare Tumors Gastrointestinal Group, met over a period of one year to conduct a narrative review of the management of GIST and to describe regional challenges and gaps in patient management as an essential step to proposing local clinical practice recommendations.