Signs Of Decline Research Articles

Pressure-Induced Re-Entrant Superconductivity in Transition Metal Dichalcogenide TiSe2.

Transition metal dichalcogenide TiSe2 exhibits a superconducting dome within a low pressure range of 2-4GPa, which peaks with the maximal transition temperature Tc of ≈1.8 K. Here it is reported that applying high pressure induces a new superconducting state in TiSe2, which starts at ≈16GPa with a substantially higher Tc that reaches 5.6 K at ≈21.5GPa with no sign of decline. Combining high-throughput first-principles structure search, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy measurements up to 30GPa, It is found that TiSe2 undergoes a first-order structural transition from the 1T phase under ambient pressure to a new 4O phase under high pressure. Comparative ab initio calculations reveal that while the conventional phonon-mediated pairing mechanism may account for the superconductivity observed in 1T-TiSe2 under low pressure, the electron-phonon coupling of 4O-TiSe2 is too weak to induce a superconducting state whose transition temperature is as high as 5.6 K under high pressure. The new superconducting state found in pressurized TiSe2 requires further study on its underlying mechanism.

Real Democracy: A Critical Realist Approach to Democracy and Democratic Theory

This article presents an alternative general model of democracy to traditional minimalist (electoral and liberal) and deliberative theories by drawing from critical realist philosophical thought. Realist or real democracy is proposed as a societal system where preconditions exist to fully empower all citizens to realize their individual capabilities. This includes empowerment opportunities at the ballot box - but also other preconditions such as health, educational and living standards. Real democracy also separates democratic preconditions from democratic outcomes. Democratic outcomes require the absence of inequalities in power as result from the contingent interaction preconditions and human agency. The new approach is argued to provide a more holistic and dynamic concept of democracy which is also more grounded in the everyday experience of the citizen compared to traditional approaches. It reconnects democracy with theories of human development and enables a new classification of political regimes and conception of democratic politics. An initial empirical mapping of patterns of global real democracy shows evidence of rising preconditions since 1990 – but stagnation since 2010 and some signs of decline. Democratic outcomes by socio-economic position saw the most notable decline.

Evolution of a Filling Paste Cementitious System and Impact Patterns of Sulfate Mine Water Erosion on Filling Paste Performance.

To assess the impact of sulfate mine water on filling material performance, an accelerated sulfate erosion process was used to analyze the effects of various erosion concentrations, aging periods, and cation types on the macroscopic properties of the filling paste. These properties encompassed apparent phenomena, mass changes, and alterations in the uniaxial compressive strength. Observations revealed sulfate erosion, causing the formation of white substances and salt crystals on specimen surfaces. Initially, all solution-eroded specimens exhibited increased mass and strength. Over time, specimens in 5 and 10% MgSO4 solutions displayed the first signs of decline, while variations in other solutions were relatively small. Increasing the erosion concentration led to greater variations in mass and strength during the initial erosion phase. Specimens in 5 and 10% MgSO4 solutions initially peaked in mass and compressive strength, followed by a decline, while other filling paste specimens continued slow increases. Under equivalent conditions, the MgSO4 solution exhibited stronger erosion than the Na2SO4 solution. Composite erosion by Na2SO4 and MgSO4 involved initial strengthening and gel pore filling, intermediate expansion and crystallization, and late-stage substantial degradation, with MgSO4 exhibiting a more pronounced and complex impact. Gray relational analysis ranked factors affecting mass and uniaxial compressive strength variations as erosion concentration > erosion ion type > erosion aging period. Correlation degrees for factors influencing mass variations were 0.8822, 0.8714, and 0.4754, while for factors influencing uniaxial compressive strength variations, the correlation degrees were 0.8336, 0.7943, and 0.6125, respectively.

Site-scale soil conditions influencing the decline of Aleppo pine stands in Mediterranean Spanish woodland

Abstract Background and aims Decline in tree species is a complex phenomenon involving multiple factors, among edaphic conditions are assumed to play an important role as factor of predisposition of forests to this process. In this regard, scarce information exists on the effects of the internal variability of the soil with depth on the predisposition to decline, an aspect that requires further evaluation. Methods Characterization of the internal variability of soil was carried out at 20 sites (10 with evidence of decline and 10 with no signs of decline) and the results analyzed to determine their role in modulating the effect of drought, which is the main cause of the observed decline in Aleppo pine stands in the Comunidad Valenciana (Spain). Results The soil properties found to be the most explanatory were those associated with soil quality in terms of available space for root exploration, which is vital for nutrition and, above all, water uptake. Episodes of decline are associated with stands where soils have a shallow effective depth due to a low degree of profile development or through marked textural anisotropy because of particularly clayey horizons that cause abrupt changes in permeability and aeration. Conclusion The internal variability of the soil, closely linked to the degree of pedogenetic development, is identified as a factor that plays an important role in predisposing the vegetation to the effects of drought.

Obsidian-tipped Spears from the Admiralty Islands in the Oceania Collection of the Museum of Ethnography in Budapest

The authors studied 36 obsidian-tipped spears in the Oceania collection of the Museum of Ethnography in Budapest. In addition to describing the objects from the Admiralty Islands collected before 1897, the paper provides a summary of the related ethnographic information, including the technological and technical details of spear point making and the characterisation of the obsidian raw material used.The blades used for making the obsidian points presented in this study showed no sign of standardisation (an indicator of advanced blade technology) in the spear point-making process. According to 19th-century ethnographic sources, the functional part of the points was the most important, and much time and effort were invested in ensuring that the blades were effective weapons. Later, as a sign of decline, primary production of obsidian blades ceased, and manufacturers started scavenging old artefacts and utilising waste and by-products. As a result, the blades decreased in size and became more irregular, and an increasingly large number included parts of the cortex, the crust of obsidian. After 1911, the relative importance of decoration increased, and the type became more standardised.The irregular shape of the spear points presented in the study and the thin, weak shafts with an awkward curvature raise questions about whether the spears were actual weapons. At the same time, the artistic decoration of the mounting sockets and ethnographic parallels suggest that the pieces in the collection were likely status objects instead.

Vitalizing logistics strategies for Tiksi Port using the interpretive structural modelling method

Tiksi Port is a Russian seaport located on the Laptev Sea shore in the Central Arctic region and holds potential as a crucial and versatile hub for the improvement of the Eastern Arctic sector. It is one of the main ports on the Northern Sea Route and can potentially become the primary point for transporting various types of cargo. Currently, Tiksi Port is shallow and incapable of receiving large sea vessels and although it was initially equipped with handling equipment, signs of decline are visible. This study aims to identify the critical logistics elements of Tiksi Port and classify them according to their level of significance in vitalizing the logistics activities of the port for further practical use. Interpretive Structural Modelling and the Matrix of Cross Impacts Multiplication Applied to a Classification (MICMAC) method was used in this study. The study findings revealed ten factors that appeared at three levels of importance. According to the analysis results, “combating oil spills” was present at Level 3, which is the first and most fundamental level to be improved. Tiksi Port officials and government ministries can use these results as a reference for development and to support the establishment of a cost-effective and agile logistics system for related companies.

Acorn production of pedunculate oak in northeast of Ukraine

Abstract We analysed the quantity and quality of Quercus robur L. acorns after years with a very poor yield under the canopy of natural oak stands of various compositions, ages and stock densities in the northeastern part of Ukraine. We determined the mass of 1,000 healthy and damaged acorns of the current year. The levels of variability were estimated for the number and mass of acorns under the canopy of the studied stands. The dependences of the number of acorns on the age of oak stands and their stock density were studied. The total number of acorns under the canopy of natural oak stands was 9,900–19,000 seeds per hectare with a total mass of 26.8–54.1 kg per hectare in 2020 and 8,600–17,200 seeds per hectare with a total mass of 22.7–48.4 kg per hectare in 2021. The proportion of damaged acorns was about 70% both in 2020 and 2021. The largest number of acorns was concentrated under healthy trees (without signs of decline) that had a well-developed crown and, therefore, received more sunlight and heat. The identified quantitative and qualitative estimates and acorn spreading pattern need to be considered when selecting sites for further natural seed regeneration in old-aged oak stands.

UNSOLD HOUSES IN MALAYSIA: THE KEDAH EXPERIENCE

As Government planning and policy greatly influence the state of Malaysian housing industry, a proactive Government should always be mindful of its citizens’ needs for house ownership. However, meeting the Government’s housing targets requires full support from the private sector, because no Government in the world can provide housing to all of its citizens on its own. Therefore, collaboration between the Government and private sector is crucial, where both parties need to work together in order to maintain the housing industry on the right track. It is unfortunate that the issue of unsold residential properties has plagued Malaysia’s housing industry for a long time – a problem that has not seen any sign of decline from year to year. The unsold properties' problem is complicated by the issue of Bumiputera (Indigenous) lots - lots that can only be sold or leased to Bumiputeras, namely Malays, the Indigenous people, Sabahans and Sarawakians. The State of Kedah, located in the northern part of Malaysia, is not spared from facing this issue, where the number of unsold houses are high. This study analyses the issue of unsold residential properties on Bumiputera lots in the state of Kedah, with the aim of finding the best solution to the problem. In order to achieve the objective, this study employs institutional economics analysis that is based on formal institutions or formal written rules. In other words, the study is based on institutional perspectives whereby the underpinning approaches can be analysed from formal and informal rules. The Elite Group Interview technique was used for data collection in three districts namely Kuala Muda, Baling and Kulim. These districts were selected due to the high volume of unsold residential properties. Eight respondents who had more than 25 years of experience in the property industry participated in this study. The data collected was analysed based on four (4) themes, comprising laws, rent-to-own, reducing house prices, and taxes on vacant houses. Finally, since the data collected were qualitative data, the finding was explained descriptively. The finding showed that institutional perspectives can be applied in property research for identifying alternatives to overcome unsold residential properties in Kedah. It also reveals that the rent-to-own method was the agreed best solution for this issue. By adopting this method, the government can prevent the release of Bumiputera lots and maintain the quota for land ownership among indigenous people.

Aceh Local Political Party: The rise, victory, and decline

Local political parties are one of the important mandates of the MoU Helsinki, which once became the realization of Aceh's peace. Their presence has significantly contributed to the development of post-conflict Aceh, and their victories in multiple Aceh political contests have guided Aceh's peace journey for the past seventeen years. However, the last election in Aceh in 2019 showed that the local political parties were starting to lose their power and become more powerless. Therefore, this study aims to describe the dynamics of local parties in Aceh, especially in relation to their rises, victories, and signs of decline. This study uses a qualitative method with a descriptive model. The data in this study were obtained from an in-depth interview and relevant literature review and then analyzed with an interactive model. This study shows, first, that the rise of local political parties in Aceh relates to and is inseparable from the context of peace post-MoU, which provided access for ex-GAM and the Acehnese community to form local political parties. Second, the strengthening of Acehnese ethnonationalism in post-conflict was able to be represented by local parties in various social and cultural symbols, which made them trusted by the Acehnese and led to victory in the election. Third, the decline of the local parties' power in the 2019 election is closely related to the failure of political actors to realize their promises while in power and the occurrence of various internal conflicts in their party organizations, which dropped community trust. At the same time, the local parties failed to pass on Acehnese ethnonationalism to the younger generation, and as a result, they are likely to lose voters.

A targeted annual warning system developed for the conservation of a sagebrush indicator species

A fundamental goal of population ecologists is to identify drivers responsible for temporal variation in abundance. Understanding whether variation is associated with environmental stochasticity or anthropogenic disturbances, which are more amenable to management action, is crucial yet difficult to achieve. Here, we present a hierarchical monitoring framework that models rates of change in abundance from spatially structured populations and identifies when local declines fall out of synchrony with trends at larger spatial scales. Importantly, the framework provides signals that alert managers to the categorical significance of observed declines while avoiding signals where declines result from drivers operating at larger spatial scales (e.g., periodic reductions in primary productivity owing to drought). We demonstrate utility through application to a rapidly declining sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) indicator species (greater sage-grouse; Centrocercus urophasianus) using 30 years (1990–2019) of count data collected from greater than 4,400 leks (habitual breeding sites) distributed across the western United States. Results revealed population declines, immediately preceding triggers (2–4-year period), ranging between 58 and 68%. Conversely, population trends unassociated with triggers showed little-to-no sign of decline. Retrospective application of the monitoring framework indicated an average annual rate of 1.7% of leks or 1.3% of neighborhood clusters (lek aggregations) would have required management intervention to reverse range-wide declines and stabilize the U.S. population as a whole.

In ongoing efforts to vaccinate communities against COVID-19, pharmacists must address fear and misinformation

In ongoing efforts to vaccinate communities against COVID-19, pharmacists must address fear and misinformation

The clones are all right.

Parthenogenetic grasshoppers confound predictions by showing no signs of decline.

Different evolutionary dynamics of hepatitis B virus genotypes A and D, and hepatitis D virus genotypes 1 and 2 in an endemic area of Yakutia, Russia

BackgroundThe geographic distribution of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and the hepatitis D virus (HDV) genotypes is uneven. We reconstructed the temporal evolution of HBV and HDV in Yakutia, one of the regions of Russia most affected by HBV and HDV, in an attempt to understand the possible mechanisms that led to unusual for Russia pattern of viral genotypes and to identify current distribution trends.MethodsHBV and HDV genotypes were determined in sera collected in 2018–2019 in Yakutia from randomly selected 140 patients with HBV monoinfection and 59 patients with HBV/HDV. Total 86 HBV and 88 HDV genomic sequences isolated in Yakutia between 1997 and 2019 were subjected to phylodynamic and philogeographic Bayesian analysis using BEAST v1.10.4 software package. Bayesian SkyGrid reconstruction and Birth–Death Skyline analysis were applied to estimate HBV and HDV population dynamics.ResultsCurrently, HBV-A and HDV-D genotypes are prevalent in Yakutia, in both monoinfected and HDV-coinfected patients. Bayesian analysis has shown that the high prevalence of HBV-A in Yakutia, which is not typical for Russia, initially emerged after the genotype was introduced from Eastern Europe in the fifteenth century (around 600 (95% HPD: 50–715) years ago). The acute hepatitis B epidemics in the 1990s in Yakutia were largely associated with this particular genotype, as indicated by temporal changes in HBV-A population dynamics. HBV-D had a longer history in Yakutia and demonstrated stable population dynamics, indicating ongoing viral circulation despite vaccination. No correlation between HBV and HDV genotypes was observed for coinfected patients in Yakutia (r = − 0.016069332). HDV-2b circulates in Russia in Yakutia only and resulted from a single wave of introduction from Central Asia 135 years ago (95% HPD: 60–350 years), while HDV-1 strains resulted from multiple introductions from Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and different parts of Russia starting 180 years ago (95% HPD: 150–210 years) and continuing to the present day. The population dynamics of HDV-1 and HDV-2 show no signs of decline despite 20 years of HBV vaccination. The Birth–Death Skyline analysis showed an increase in the viral population in recent years for both HDV genotypes, indicating ongoing HDV epidemics.ConclusionsTaken together, these data call for strict control of HBV vaccination quality and coverage, and implementation of HBV and HDV screening programs in Yakutia.

Sociodemographic predictors of confirmed COVID-19 mortality and hospitalization among patients in Saudi Arabia: Analyzing a national COVID-19 database

BackgroundEven with the widespread availability of vaccines for the COVID-19 disease, there is no sign of decline in the rate of spread of the disease. Based on findings of different studies across the globe, the disease is characterized by poor outcomes in specific sociodemographic categories such as age, gender and presence of symptoms. MethodsIn this study, we carried out a multivariable logistic regression analysis on a national database (HESN+) of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Saudi Arabia to determine predictors of hospitalization and mortality for these patients. ResultsData was extracted for 328,301 confirmed COVID- 19 patients (mean age (SD) = 37.79 (1.68)) with 34.92% females and 65.08% males. Of these, 59.87% were Saudi Arabian citizens and 40.13% were non-Saudi. 68.91% of cases were discovered in Riyadh (n = 67,384), Makkah (n = 72,590) and the Eastern Province (n = 79,666). 72.2% of all cases were diagnosed and treated by the Ministry of Health (MOH). Of all confirmed cases, 95.28% showed one or more symptoms associated with COVID-19. 5.48% of these were hospitalized and 1.11% died. Predictors of mortality and hospitalization, respectively, included age (OR; 1.088 and 1.03), being male (OR; 1.443 and 1.138), nationality (OR; 2.11 and 1.993), presence of symptoms (OR; 1.816 and 4.386), and the health care sector in which patients received treatment (MOH OR; 1.352 and 4.731). ConclusionWe found that COVID-19-related hospitalization or mortality was higher among males, older adults, and patients showing one or more symptoms, and mortality likelihood was more than fourfold for patients treated by the MOH. Immigrants were also more likely to be hospitalized or die from COVID-19 infection compared to Saudi nationals.

Persistence of seaweed forests in the anthropocene will depend on warming and marine heatwave profiles.

Marine heatwaves (MHWs), discrete periods of extreme warm water temperatures superimposed onto persistent ocean warming, have increased in frequency and significantly disrupted marine ecosystems. While field observations on the ecological consequences of MHWs are growing, a mechanistic understanding of their direct effects is rare. We conducted an outdoor tank experiment testing how different thermal stressor profiles impacted the ecophysiological performance of three dominant forest-forming seaweeds. Four thermal scenarios were tested: contemporary summer temperature (22°C), low persistent warming (24°C), a discrete MHW (22-27°C), and temperature variability followed by a MHW (22-24°C, 22-27°C). The physiological performance of seaweeds was strongly related to thermal profile and varied among species, with the highest temperature not always having the strongest effect. MHWs were highly detrimental for the fucoid Phyllospora comosa, whereas the laminarian kelp Ecklonia radiata showed sensitivity to extended thermal stress and demonstrated a cumulative temperature threshold. The fucoid Sargassum linearifolium showed resilience, albeit with signs of decline with bleached and degraded fronds, under all conditions, with stronger decline under stable control and warming conditions. The varying responses of these three co-occurring forest-forming seaweeds under different temperature scenarios suggests that the impact of ocean warming on near shore ecosystems may be complex and will depend on the specific thermal profile of rising water temperatures relative to the vulnerability of different species.

Probing protoplanetary disk evolution in the Chamaeleon II region

Context. Characterizing the evolution of protoplanetary disks is necessary to improve our understanding of planet formation. Constraints on both dust and gas are needed to determine the dominant disk dissipation mechanisms. Aims. We aim to compare the disk dust masses in the Chamaeleon II (Cha II) star-forming region with other regions with ages between 1 and 10 Myr. Methods. We use ALMA band 6 observations (1.3 mm) to survey 29 protoplanetary disks in Cha II. Dust mass estimates are derived from the continuum data. Results. Out of our initial sample of 29 disks, we detect 22 sources in the continuum, 10 in 12CO, 3 in 13CO, and none in C18O (J = 2−1). Additionally, we detect two companion candidates in the continuum and 12CO emission. Most disk dust masses are lower than 10 M⊕, assuming thermal emission from optically thin dust. Including non-detections, we derive a median dust mass of 4.5 ± 1.5 M⊕ from survival analysis. We compare consistent estimations of the distributions of the disk dust mass and the disk-to-stellar mass ratios in Cha II with six other low mass and isolated star-forming regions in the age range of 1–10 Myr: Upper Sco, CrA, IC 348, Cha I, Lupus, and Taurus. When comparing the dust-to-stellar mass ratio, we find that the masses of disks in Cha II are statistically different from those in Upper Sco and Taurus, and we confirm that disks in Upper Sco, the oldest region of the sample, are statistically less massive than in all other regions. Performing a second statistical test of the dust mass distributions from similar mass bins, we find no statistical differences between these regions and Cha II. Conclusions. We interpret these trends, most simply, as a sign of decline in the disk dust masses with time or dust evolution. Different global initial conditions in star-forming regions may also play a role, but their impact on the properties of a disk population is difficult to isolate in star-forming regions lacking nearby massive stars.

Status of Charcoal Canker on Oak Trees at a Site of Community Importance: Case Study of the Relict Castelfidardo Forest (SIC Area IT520008, Castelfidardo, AN, Italy)

Oaks are dominant and key tree species in Mediterranean forest ecosystems. However, in recent decades, oak forests have been heavily impacted by oak decline, a worldwide phenomenon exacerbated by climate change. The charcoal disease agent Biscogniauxia mediterranea is involved in the decline of Mediterranean oak formations in a variety of contexts. Here, we investigated the impact and role of B. mediterranea in the decline of oaks in Castelfidardo Forest, a relict wood of the late Holocene and a Site of Community Importance. We established five plots within which we recorded tree positions, any symptoms and signs of decline, association of B. mediterranea to declining trees, and deadwood and associated mycota. Of 471 oaks inspected, 7.0% showed brownish exudates on the stems, 46.9% showed epicormic shoots along the main trunk, and 24.4% showed black carbonaceous stromata on diseased branches and trunks. The decline was most severe for Quercus cerris, which comprised plots #4 and #5, at 50.0% (81/162 trees) and 29.0% (33/114), respectively; then for Quercus robur for plot #3, at 40.0% (38/95); and finally for Quercus pubescens for plots #1 and #2, at 13.7% (7/51) and 12.3% (6/49), respectively. Bark tissues were collected from trees with charcoal cankers and taken to the laboratory for microscopic examination and identification by mycological and molecular methods. This investigation revealed a close association between oaks with pronounced reduction of vitality and incidence of B. mediterranea. Deadwood was equally distributed among the five plots, and was heavily colonized by Basidiomycota. The high incidence of the charcoal canker pathogen B. mediterranea appeared to be related to environmental stresses. However, the absence of silvicultural management, high competition among physiologically mature trees, and the geographic isolation of this residual forest may have predisposed oaks to decline.

Harmonisation of Space in an Industrial City: Social Guidelines

Urban studies examine the development of industrial cities regarding the well-being of citizens, their needs and quality of life. Due to a new understanding of industrial cities as towns for people, the role and place of man in the urban space should be reconsidered. We developed a model for structuring the industrial city space based on a retrospective analysis of urban development. Further, we revealed the characteristics of shrinking cities and determined how the harmonisation of the urban environment influences the society. The interaction between physical and social spaces was analysed from the perspective of object- subject relations, enriching the understanding of the categories of place and entity (residential area, public space, etc.), as well as allowing citizens to deliberately transform their environment. Using content analysis, we confirmed that the harmonisation of the urban environment (physical space) stabilises social relations, since the population, government and business should reach a consensus to achieve the city’s goal and satisfy their own needs and interests. The results of the urban space analysis reveal the disparities between historical and modern buildings, natural and urbanised areas, industrial and residential city areas, etc., that should be eliminated. The directions of harmonisation of the urban space (revitalisation of industrial facilities and marginal areas, housing renovation) are proposed. We tested different approaches on the example of cities in the Chelyabinsk region by analysing their development stages, signs of decline, and urban characteristics. We are continuing to study the development of industrial cities. Public authorities and local governments can use the obtained results to elaborate urban development strategies, as well as implement the national projects «Housing and Urban Environment» and «Demography» at the regional and municipal levels.

Качество жизни в российских мегаполисах: поиск возможностей городского развития

Introduction. Cities play a key role in the development of countries and regions. The authors of the article emphasize the importance of the largest cities’ development, which is based on an industrial model that has not exhausted its potential. The authors show possibilities of urban development on the basis of the industrial sector effective functioning in order to improve the citizens’ welfare, meet their needs and improve the life quality. In this regard, the authors formulate a hypothesis that the largest Russian cities developing according to the industrial model have and are able to realize their potential in order to improve the life quality, preserve and increase the population on their territory. The authors set a goal: to identify the possibilities for developing industrial-type megalopolises to improve the population’s life quality of the (PLQ). Methods. The authors use the following information base: strategic documents of different levels, statistical data, scientific literature, analytical documents, and expert assessments of the megalopolises’ development. The authors also use an industrial model for developing the largest cities; they determine conditions under which the potential of megacities can be realized to improve the citizens’ life quality and carry out an analysis of the demographic and social situation in the largest Russian industrial cities. The authors evaluate some approaches and theses of the study as exemplified by the following cities with a million-plus population: Yekaterinburg, Krasnoyarsk, Chelyabinsk, and Omsk and they group the cities according to the signs of growth and decline, which is illustrated by favorable or unfavorable demographic trends. To confirm the identified trends and problems of the largest cities, the authors provide the results of expert assessments on the population’s life quality and the state of the urban environment and emphasize the need for a systemic integrated development of the largest cities of industrial type to improve the life quality of the population of megalopolises. The scientific novelty of the study consists in substantiating the prospects for the socio-economic development of the largest industrial cities of Russia on the basis of an industrial model that provides for the technological transformation of the economy, the use of agglomeration effects, the formation of a friendly urban environment for residents and the achievement of socialization of urban space. Results and conclusions. As a result of the analysis and typology of the largest cities by functional specialization, two groups of cities were identified: one group with signs of demographic growth, the second with signs of decline. The cities of the first group have a greater economic potential, opportunities for agglomeration, provide more comfortable living and consolidation of the population on their territory. On the contrary, cities with signs of decreasing have fewer opportunities (resources), are less diversified, the urban environment in them is less comfortable, which is reflected in the citizens’ life quality and is accompanied by the population’s outflow. At the same time, it was revealed that all analyzed cities actively use digital technologies, realizing, in particular, the concept of a «smart city». At the same time, cities with signs of decreasing show high IQ indicators of cities. Taking into account the identified problems, the authors propose promising directions for the development of industrial megalopolises with signs of decline.

Using Big Data for Clinical Decision Making

The current workforce is ill prepared for the rise in Americans 65 and older from 46.3 million in 2010 to 98.2 million by 2050, a national increase of 112.2 % accompanied by increasing chronic conditions. The increase in older Americans, the prevalence of those with dementia, accompanied by behavioral symptoms of dementia (BSD) is increasing. Innovative technology may alert health providers to early signs of decline in frail older adults with multiple chronic conditions. Remote monitoring in the home and community living spaces can address complex care needs for older adults. Monitoring may identify and predict deviations in a person’s daily routine that herald a change in a chronic condition. We present two examples that can potentially assist in clinical decision making. The first exemplar used 24/7 sensor data to identify changes, potentially clinically significant, such that early intervention may prevent hospitalizations; the second exemplar presents the use of pattern recognition software (THEME TM) for temporal pattern analysis, to identify and quantify behavior patterns with regard to intensity, frequency and complexity, such that interventions may be individually tailored and timed. Clinical researchers and technology developers need to collaborate early in the process to consider the sources and frequency of clinical measures for meaningful predictions. One major challenge lies in the interpretation of the vast amounts of within individual data. Our insights strive to improve future interdisciplinary development of monitoring systems to support aging in place and support clinical decisions for timely and effective care for frail older adults.