Successful Model Research Articles

Tea polyphenols improves depression-like behavior in aged type 2diabetes rats by regulating microglia polarization

To investigate the effect of tea polyphenols(TP) on improving depression-like behavior in aged type 2 diabetes(T2DM) model rats. A total of 40 8-week-old SD male rats were randomly divided into the control group(n=10) and the modeling group(n=30) according to the body weight. The rats in the modeling group were fed with high-glucose and high-fat diet and treated with 50 mg/kg D-galactose by intraperitoneal injection daily until the end of the experiment, while the rats in the control group were fed with the standard diet and treated with an equal volume of saline by intraperitoneal injection. After 4 weeks, the rats in the modeling group were injected with 25 mg/kg STZ, meanwhile the rats in the control group were injected with an equal volume of citric acid buffer. The level of fasting blood glucose(FBG) was measured on the 14~(th) day. When FBG≥16.7 mmol/L, the rats were identified as successful model of the T2DM rats. Then, the model rats were randomly divided into the model group, 150, 300 mg/kg TP groups(n=10, respectively), and the rats were given intragastric intervention for 8 weeks. The levels of the FBG were detected, and the depression-like behavior of rats was assessed by the open field test(OFT) and forced swimming test(FST). The density of microglia in hippocampus CA1 region was assessed by immunofluorescence staining, and protein expressions of P53, Iba1, iNOS, Arg-1 and BDNF were determined by western blot. Compared with the control group, the levels of FBG in the rats of the model group were obviously increased(P<0.01). In the OFT, the frequencies of rearing and grooming in the rats of model group markedly was decreased, while in the FST, the immobility time extensively was increased(P<0.01). The density of microglia in hippocampus CA1 region was increased(P<0.01). The expressions of P53, Iba1 and iNOS were increased, and the expressions of Arg-1 and BDNF were decreased(P<0.01). Additionally, compared with the model group, in the OFT, the frequencies of rearing and grooming were increased in the rats in 150 and 300 mg/kg TP group(P<0.01). The density of microglia in hippocampus CA1 region was decreased(P<0.01). The expressions of P53, Iba1 and iNOS were down-regulated, and the expression of BDNF was up-regulated(P<0.01). Additionally, compared with the model group, the levels of FBG was decreased in the rats in the 300 mg/kg TP group(P<0.01). The immobility time was decreased in the FST(P<0.01). The expression of Arg-1 was down-regulated(P<0.01). TP can improve depression-like behavior in aged T2DM model rats, and its mechanism may be related to regulate microglia M1/M2 polarization and up-regulate expression of BDNF in hippocampus.

Reforming State-Owned Enterprises (SOES) to Facilitate the Economic Recovery of Sri Lanka

The economic downturn and escalating debt levels prompted Sri Lanka to seek assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), resulting in the formulation of the 17th IMF program. This program, aimed at fiscal consolidation and restructuring, designates SOEs as a pivotal element in the nation's economic recovery strategy. This policy brief addresses the imperative need for reforming State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in Sri Lanka. A historical overview reveals the evolution of Sri Lanka's SOEs, from their establishment during World War II to a surge in numbers in the 1980s. Despite their vital role in the economy, SOEs have faced operational inefficiencies, financial struggles, and governance issues, leading to a privatization policy in 1988. The document explores international experiences in SOE reform, drawing insights from successful models in Singapore, China, and India. Current policy measures in Sri Lanka encompass various reform strategies, such as corporatization, restructuring, and commercialization, focusing on enhancing financial transparency and accountability. The establishment of the State-Owned Enterprise Restructuring Unit (SRU) reflects a commitment to effective implementation, with international support from entities like the International Finance Corporation (IFC). In conclusion, the path to economic recovery in Sri Lanka hinges on the successful transformation of SOEs, ensuring financial viability, transparency, and sustainable growth.

Planning for Cikapundung Terrace Development in the Cikapundung River Watershed, Bandung City

Bandung, as one of the centers of development in Indonesia, continues to transform to meet the increasingly complex needs of the community. One development project that has attracted attention is the "Cikapundung Terrace Development Planning in Coblong District." The Cikapundung Terrace symbolizes the harmonious interaction between nature and urbanization, creating a comfortable and sustainable space for the citizens of Bandung. This research adopts a literature study approach, especially in the form of a literature review, with the selection of a narrative review model. The study procedure in this narrative review model involves comparing data from a number of international journals that have been analyzed and then compiled in a summary based on the author''s experience, theories, and relevant models. The research method implemented is qualitative, using data sources in the form of secondary data obtained from a number of international journals, articles, and previous studies that have been analyzed by the author related to the issues that are the focus of this research. This research adopts an analytical descriptive method by collecting, identifying, compiling, and analyzing various data found. From the above explanation, it can be understood that the development of the Cikapundung Terrace provides an opportunity to improve the economy of the community while adding a tourist destination and a place for social activities in the community. At the local level, the presence of Teras Cikapundung creates economic potential in various ways. First of all, the presence of this tourist spot can create direct employment opportunities, such as janitors, recreational facility operators, and administrative personnel. In addition, the emergence of small businesses such as food and souvenir vendors around the Cikapundung Terrace area can have a positive economic impact on local businesses. The Cikapundung basin is a mirror of how urban development can be integrated with sustainability and community well-being. As a successful model, the project can serve as an inspiration for the development of other green open spaces in different regions. Through a joint effort between the government, academic institutions and the community. It can be concluded that the Cikapundung Terrace Development Planning in the Cikapundung River Watershed of Bandung City has achieved its objectives.

The Heat Budget of the Tropical Pacific Mixed Layer during Two Types of El Niño Based on Reanalysis and Global Climate Model Data

The heat budget of the equatorial Pacific mixed layer during El Niño formation was studied based on reanalysis (GLORYS2V4) and model data for the modern climate. The focus of the study is on the so-called El Niño diversity, i.e., the existence of different types of events that are characterized by different locations and intensities, as well as significantly different teleconnection all around the world. The analysis of the processes that participate in the formation of different El Niño types may serve for a better understanding of the El Niño dynamic and contribute to improving its forecast. Two classifications, based on the location and intensity of the events, were considered: strong/moderate and Eastern Pacific (EP)/Central Pacific (CP). The analysis did not reveal a significant difference in the heat budget of the mixed layer between strong and EP El Niño events, as well as between moderate and CP events. The major difference in the generation mechanism of strong (EP) and moderate (CP) El Niño events consists of the magnitude of heating produced by ocean heat budget components with higher heating rates for strong (EP) events. The evolution of sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) is governed primarily by oceanic advection. The vertical advection (due to the thermocline feedback) is the main contributor to SSTA growth in the eastern Pacific regardless of El Niño’s type. In the Central Pacific, horizontal advection is more important than vertical one, with a stronger impact of meridional processes for both strong and moderate regimes. Furthermore, the evaluation of the CMIP5 model’s skill in the simulation of the processes responsible for the formation of different El Niño types was carried out. The analysis of the heat budget of the mixed layer in the CMIP5 ensemble demonstrated that the most successful models are CCSM4, CESM1-BGC, CMCC-CMS, CNRM-CM5, GFDL-ESM2M, and IPSL-CM5B-LR. They are capable of reproducing the most important contribution of the advection terms in the SSTA tendency, keeping the major role of the thermocline feedback (and vertical advection) in the eastern Pacific, and do not overestimate the contribution of zonal advective feedback. These models are recommended to be used for the analysis of El Niño mechanism modification in the future climate.

The initiative for medical equity and global health (IMEGH) resuscitation training program: A model for resuscitation training courses in Africa

In high-income countries, outcomes following in hospital cardiac arrest have improved over the last two decades due to the introduction of rapid response teams, cardiac arrest teams, and advanced resuscitation training. However, in low-income countries, such as Rwanda, outcomes are still poor. This is due to multiple factors including lack of adequate resuscitation training, few trainers, and lack of equipment.To address this issue, the Initiative for Medical Equity and Global Health Equity (IMEGH), a training organization founded in 2018 by 5 local anesthesiologists has regularly taught resuscitation courses such as Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and Pediatric Advanced Life Support in hospitals throughout Rwanda. The aims of the organization include developing a sustainable model to offer context relevant resuscitation training courses, building a cadre of local instructors to teach on the courses, as well as engaging funding partners to help support the effort. From October 2018 until September 2022, 31 courses were run in 11 hospitals across Rwanda training 1,060 healthcare providers (mainly of non-physician anesthetists, nurses, midwives, and general practitioners). Ongoing challenges include lack of local protocols, inability to tracking resuscitation outcomes, and continued inaccessibility by many healthcare providers. Despite these challenges, the IMEGH program is an example of a successful context-relevant model and has potential to inform the design of resuscitation programs in other similar settings. This article describes the development of the IMEGH program, accomplishments as well as lessons learned, challenges, and next steps for expansion.

Building sustainable and resilient communities with landslide early warning systems: A review of best practices

Introduction. Landslides are an important natural phenomenon that can have significant impacts on human communities and the environment. They can cause property damage, injury, and loss of life, making it crucial to understand their potential hazards. Materials and Methods. In this study, a systematic search was performed on Scopus database to collect relevant literature on community-based landslide early warning systems from global sources. The search utilized various keywords, including “Integrated early warning system,” “landslide early warning systems,” “community-based early warning systems,” “people-centered early warning systems,” and “resilient early warning systems.” Additionally, the snowballing technique was employed to identify further literature from the reference lists of the initial papers obtained through the initial search. Results. Totally, 157 articles, including journal publications, manuals, guidelines, books, and early warning systems, were reviewed. To enhance the discussion and comprehension of integrated early warning systems, literature without a community-based aspect was also examined. The literature was categorized into different sections such as the significance of landslide early warning systems, definitions for community-based early warning systems, and community-based landslide early warning systems for various regions worldwide, such as Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America. The primary aim was to explore the utilization of community-based early warning systems by various stakeholders, including researchers, policymakers, and non-governmental organizations. Additionally, the literature on community-based landslide early warning systems was analyzed to identify methodologies used in designing the systems, which could be adapted to develop different technologies and methodologies in different regions of the world. Discussion. The given region-wise studies highlight the development and implementation of community-based landslide early warning systems (CBLEWS) in different parts of the world. These studies emphasize the importance of community involvement in the identification and management of landslide risks and the development and implementation of early warning systems. The papers present case studies that demonstrate the successful implementation of CBLEWS and its effectiveness in reducing the risk of landslides. Conclusion. The present paper emphasizes the importance of community engagement in the development and implementation of landslide early warning systems. Best practices in the establishment of such systems were reviewed, and community-based approaches were highlighted as crucial for disaster risk reduction efforts. It stresses the potential of early warning systems to prevent loss of life and property damage, promoting the creation of sustainable and resilient communities. Resume. While landslides pose a significant threat, particularly in resource-limited developing communities, Community-Based Landslide Early Warning Systems (CBLEWS) have emerged as a promising solution. This review highlights the effectiveness of CBLEWS in reducing fatalities, injuries, and infrastructure damage. Its success hinges on community participation and ownership. Suggestions for practical applications and future research directions. To empower communities facing landslides, successful CBLEWS models, hazard training, stakeholder collaboration, and context-specific warnings are crucial. Long-term impact studies, cost-benefit analyses, understanding social influences, integrating with other warning systems, exploring advanced technologies, and establishing global guidelines are key research areas for further strengthening CBLEWS and safeguarding communities.

Planning a Risk Management System for PPP projects to Increase the Competitiveness of Business Structures

This article addresses the critical need for effective public-private partnership (further - PPP) models amidst economic, social, and political challenges in Kazakhstan. The results of the study are aimed at improving the identification of risks for making informed decisions. It delves into scientific achievements relevant to assessing business activity and nurturing entrepreneurial culture. Employing comparative analysis, the research examines domestic PPP practices, drawing insights from statistical data. The findings emphasize PPP's role in ensuring national economic competitiveness, with legislative improvements positively impacting growth. The analysis of foreign practices critically examines the evolution of public-private partnership (PPP) development in Kazakhstan by juxtaposing it with the experiences of leading nations. The United Kingdom has demonstrated successful partnership models based on transparency, clear terms, and mutually beneficial relationships, serving as an example for Kazakhstan in enhancing collaboration between the public and private sectors. The SWOT analysis identifies inefficiencies, stressing the importance of transparent project teams and systematic risk management. Sectoral insights highlight a decline in private sector involvement, emphasizing the need for regulatory improvements and risk reduction in PPP implementations. The study emphasizes PPP's indispensable role in Kazakhstan's socio-economic development, advocating for continuous reforms and advanced risk management. The proposed PPP project management algorithm aims to foster efficiency, address challenges, and stimulate economic activity, paving the way for sustainable infrastructure development.

Analysis of the Marketing Strategy of the Formula One Group in the United States - Taking the Miami Grand Prix as an Example

The research is conducted with the success of the first Miami Grand Prix in 2022. As a grand prix that has never been held in the region, the Miami Grand Prix achieved a great increase in terms of the number of fans attending during the grand prix and fans watching the race online compared to the Austin Grand Prix last year. The research focused on analyzing the marketing strategy of Formula One Group in the United States taking the Miami Grand Prix as an example and utilized the literature review method and case analysis method to conclude an ultimate successful marketing model that may apply to other places in the world. The marketing model consists of stream media propaganda and sports partnerships two pre-race marketing campaigns, value-added events during the race weekend and the native driver which would bring consistent exposure of Formula One to the country throughout the season and attract more potential fans to come to the race weekend.

Population balance model enabled digital design and uncertainty analysis framework for continuous crystallization of pharmaceuticals using an automated platform with full recycle and minimal material use

A systematic digital design framework for the development of a digital twin of a continuous crystallization process was presented using the model compound, diphenhydramine hydrochloride (DPH). The key features of the framework include operating space investigations, kinetic parameter estimation using population balance modeling, and systematic batch-to-continuous crystallization translation of the estimated parameters. An approach that compares experimental uncertainties with model-prediction uncertainties was used to justify the robustness of the parameter estimation procedure. For continuous crystallization development, a continuous configuration with full recycle and dissolution was developed, which enabled rapid process design with minimal material use. The results demonstrated successful model development for both batch and mixed-suspension-mixed-product-removal (MSMPR) crystallization configurations. This experimentally validated model, along with quantified uncertainty space of the kinetic parameters, serves as a digital twin of the process, which was later used to optimize the multistage MSMPR process to produce larger crystals with narrower distributions.

Study on the Business Model and Development of Catering Chains

With the growth of China's national economy, the catering market has shown a strong momentum of development. People's demand for catering is growing, and catering chain stores provide consumers with diversified choices, so catering chain stores have been developed. Chain restaurants are, to a certain extent, the inevitable product of the development of the catering industry. It is a form of business organization and business model, referring to the expansion of catering enterprises through chain operation and franchising. This paper takes Haidilao and Xiangcai brand Nongchengji as examples, based on their successful business models. The study was conducted on the market size, competition, franchise mode, and management mode of chain catering. In addition, the development process and existing problems of Chinese chain catering were analyzed, and finally improvement suggestions were proposed, which provide examples and references for China's mechanization, and China's chain catering industry will enter a new era of development in the future

A person-centred approach to help services and commissioners to improve the experience of people who are homeless and secure better sustainability.

Successful implementation of evidence-based services in health and social care depends largely on the fit of the services with the values and priorities of users who are shaping and participating in their delivery and use. When looking at the implementation of innovative specialist hospital discharge schemes for people who are homeless, there is a lack of knowledge on homeless people’s preferences and perspectives on receiving out-of-hospital care.
 In England, the Department of Health and Social Care, Ministry for Housing and Local Government and Ministry of Justice allocated £16 million to further develop and test out hospital care for people experiencing homelessness. The out-of-hospital care model programme is seeking to scale successful hospital discharge models that were shown to be effective and cost-effective in an earlier pilot programme adapting these for new contexts and circumstances post Covid-19. Evaluation of the implementation of the out-of-hospital care model programme is currently underway in 17 local authority test sites across England. A specific component of the larger evaluation is aimed at capturing service users’ preferences for different types of specialist hospital discharge schemes.
 This is done using a flexible health economics tool for measuring choices in health and social care-related settings named discrete choice experiments (DCE). It measures preferences from individual decision-makers over alternative scenarios (or service provisions). Each alternative is described by several attributes (or characteristics) and the choices made between two or more competing scenarios subsequently determine how preferences are influenced by each attribute (eg, which attributes are valued as well as their relative importance). It can also provide a measure of the overall value attached to different alternatives (and identify optimal service provision that meets stakeholder requirements and have the best chance of sustainability in the long term). Hence a DCE survey has been developed to measure people’s preferences for what out-of-hospital care provides in terms of types of location of care, the professional who delivers most of their care, how often they receive care, how long they receive care after hospital discharge and rules about behaviour where they live.
 The attributes (characteristics) and their various levels were informed by our previous research. Webinar discussions regarding what stakeholders value about specialist services were used to validate and refine the attributes and levels. PPI stakeholders were also consulted on the development of the presentation, wording and format of the survey. Efficient experimental design techniques were applied to create the DCE questions. Due to the cognitive load involved in completing the survey, respondents are assisted in the completion of the questionnaire by members of the research team to secure responses from more than 250 people who are homeless. Data will be modelled using logit techniques and results will be ready for presentation in May 2023.
 Information on how service users value specialist hospital discharge schemes for people who are homeless is needed to better inform the implementation and development of the innovative out-of-hospital care model programme currently proposed in England at a national level. Identified learning will be shared at the conference.

Navigating community engagement in participatory modeling of food systems

This paper describes the participatory modeling experiences of five discrete teams across the U.S. working to develop models of food systems to identify leverage points and policies to induce food system transformation. Collaboration between academic and community partners within these individual modeling processes enables teams to address food systems complexity, integrate scientific evidence and local knowledge into models, while improving a model’s credibility and accessibility for policymaking. While tools for facilitating participatory modeling are becoming more available, there is scant discussion on the practicalities of community engagement processes, including how teams respond to the needs of partners, navigate challenges that arise during projects, and communicate results. Synthesizing results from five independent teams in Albany, New York; Austin, Texas; Cleveland, Ohio; Denver, Colorado; and Flint, Michigan, this paper provides an overview of each team's approach to community engagement for participatory modeling of food systems. Analysis of engagement strategies across these five teams revealed four essential components to successful participatory modeling projects: 1) building research in collaboration with partners from the onset, 2) developing awareness of the challenges of community-researcher partnerships, 3) supporting transparent communication, and 4) promoting justice and trust through accessible dissemination processes. We emphasize that there is no single best approach to participatory modeling with community partners, rather that researchers need to understand and respond to various stakeholder needs. While each team faced challenges to the engagement process, including responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, our findings reveal important considerations for research in participatory modeling for food system policy.

Scenario optimization for the tokamak ramp-down phase in RAPTOR: Part A. Analysis and model validation on ASDEX Upgrade

We discuss how the combination of experimental observations and rapid modeling has enabled to improve understanding of the tokamak ramp-down phase in ASDEX Upgrade. A series of dedicated experiments has been performed, to disentangle the effect of individual actuators like plasma current, auxiliary heating and plasma shaping. Optimized discharge termination strategies with increased margin with respect to radiative and vertical stability limits are proposed and tested in experiment. Radiative collapse of the edge Te profile after the HL back-transition is avoided by initially maintaining auxiliary heating during L-mode, showing beneficial effects even after the auxiliary heating is turned off. The capability of the RAPTOR code to model the time evolution of the internal inductance has been validated, including the effect of a change in the Ip ramp-down rate and the HL transition timing. The reduction of caused by rapid compression of the plasma cross-section has been quantitatively recovered in simulations. Successful modeling of the time evolution is essential to optimize ramp-down scenarios for future fusion reactors, for which vertical stability and power balance control will be more challenging.

Synergistic effects of electroacupuncture and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation on rat intrauterine adhesion： an observation.

To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture(EA) combined with bone marrow mesen-chymal stem cells(BMSCs) transplantation on the endometrium of rats with intrauterine adhesions(IUA), so as to explore the possible mechanisms underlying their combined therapeutic effects. Forty adult female SD rats were randomly divided into control, model, cell, and combined groups. The IUA rat model was established using a dual injury method of mechanical scratching and lipopolysaccharide infection. After successful modeling, on days 1, 3, and 7, rats in the model group received tail vein injection of phosphate buffered solution, while rats in the cell group received tail vein injection of BMSCs suspension for BMSCs transplantation；and rats in the combined group received BMSCs transplantation combined with EA treatment (2 Hz/15 Hz, 1-2 mA), targeting the "Guanyuan"(CV4), bilateral "Zusanli"(ST36) and "Sanyinjiao"(SP6) for 20 min daily for 3 consecutive estrous cycles. After intervention, uterine tissue was collected from 5 rats in each group. Histological analysis was performed using hematoxylin and eosin staining to evaluate endometrial thickness and glandular number. Masson staining was used to assess endometrial fibrosis area. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the positive expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA), and estrogen receptor(ER). Western blot analysis was conducted to determine the protein expressions of homeobox A10(HoxA10) and leukemia inhibitory factor(LIF), both key regulators of endometrial receptivity. The remaining 5 rats in each group were co-housed with male rats, and the uterine function recovery was evaluated by assessing the number of embryo implantations. Compared with the control group, the model group showed thinning endometrium(P<0.001), decreased glandular number(P<0.001), increased endometrial fibrosis area(P<0.001), reduced positive expressions of VEGF, PCNA, ER, expressions of HoxA10 and LIF, and decreased embryo implantation number (P<0.001) on the injured side of the uterus. Compared with the model group, the combined group showed a reversal of the aforementioned indicators(P<0.001, P<0.01)；the cell group exhibited thicker endometrium(P<0.001) and reduced endometrial fibrosis area(P<0.001). Compared with the cell group, the combined group showed increased endometrial thickness(P<0.01), elevated glandular number(P<0.05), significantly decreased endometrial fibrosis area(P<0.05), enhanced positive expressions of VEGF, PCNA and ER, expressions of HoxA10 and LIF in the endometrium, and a significant increase in embryo implantation number (P<0.001, P<0.05, P<0.01) on the injured side of the uterus, indicating better results than the cell group. The combination of EA and BMSCs synergistically promotes the repair of damaged endometrium, improves endometrial morphology, reduces fibrosis levels, enhances vascular regeneration and matrix cell proliferation, improves endometrial receptivity, which ultimately facilitates embryo implantation.

Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy for rapid prediction of biochemical methane potential of wastewater wasted sludge

The information of biochemical methane potential (BMP) of wasted sludge is essential to ensure the stable operation of sludge management processes. However, conventional anaerobic digestion (AD) approach for BMP test is time-consuming and labour-intensive. Currently, the technique of Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) is gaining prominence in the biogas production within AD process. Previous studies mostly focused on predicting BMP values for fibrous plant biomass and solid waste, with only a limited number of studies attempting to apply NIRS to obtain BMP values across a wide array of wasted sludge types. To obtain BMP values for this diverse range of wasted sludge efficiently and accurately, it is imperative to develop precise models for assessing BMP values using NIRS. In this study, the possibility of using NIRS to predict the BMP values of wasted sludge was evaluated. A total of 70 sludge samples from different sources were investigated to develop a BMP-prediction model by correlating the measured BMP values with the obtained NIR spectra. As a result, a reliable and successful BMP-prediction model was established with the determination coefficient of 0.90, residual prediction deviation of 3.50 and low root mean square error of prediction of 36.8 mL CH4/g VS. This BMP-prediction model is satisfactory for predicting BMP values of various types of sludge. It could provide support for plant operators to make decisions rapidly, thereby improving the process efficiency and optimizing sludge management procedures.

Factors influencing the intention to continue online learning of students at Tra Vinh University in Vietnam

Research on factors affecting students’ intention to continue studying online at Tra Vinh University. Research on applying the technology acceptance model (TAM), successful information system model (ISS), and student satisfaction. Survey data from 312 students studying at the school are used. Structural Modeling (SEM) evaluates and validates the model. The results show that the quality of information, techniques - technology, interaction in the E-learning environment, perceived usefulness, lecturers, and learners themselves indirectly affect the intention to continue learning online through satisfaction. Management implications are also suggested, creating a basis for developing an E-learning system appropriate to the school and increasing students’ intention to continue learning online.

The secret of the Wilson equation

60 years ago, Grant Wilson proposed the first successful activity coefficient model based on the local composition concept he introduced. The model has received wide acceptance and extensive applicability as it could represent accurately the vapor-liquid equilibria of complex mixtures. It could be readily extended to multicomponent systems without additional parameters and with good results. It has not dominated the chemical engineering practice compared to models proposed a few years after (NRTL and UNIQUAC) possibly due to one important shortcoming. The Wilson equation could never represent liquid-liquid equilibria no matter the values of the model's parameters. While this is well-established, the “physical” reasons behind this deficiency had not been fully explored. This work presents and explores the secret of the Wilson equation related to its ability to predict partial miscibility. It will be established that the capabilities of the Wilson model are possibly broader compared to what was originally thought. The presentation is also inspired by several discussions with professor Michael L. Michelsen over the years which are also cited in the manuscript.

Dual form of education within the framework of contemporary educational trends in Ukraine

As a result of the reforms carried out in our society, great changes are taking place in the education system. Taking into account the prospects and priorities of the economic development, modern equipment and technological trends, the urgent problem is the fundamental improvement of the quality of personnel training necessary for the industries and sectors of the economy. Existing work experience of an employee is highly valued by companies, so its absence is the main obstacle for those who are looking for a job for the first time. Many young people fall into a vicious circle: they cannot find their first job, cannot get a job, because they do not have work experience. The practice of mentoring has a large-scale impact on promoting youth employment and is one of the main reasons for reducing youth unemployment. Purpose. The main goal of the research is to study the peculiarities of the organization of the educational process in the conditions of dual education of students. Methodology. Research methods can be divided into two categories – theoretical ones: systematic analysis, synthesis, generalization, analysis of philosophical, pedagogical, psychological, methodological and technical issues related to the research problem, and experimental ones: observation, conversation, monitoring, survey and testing, pedagogical experiment. Innovative methods are introduced into the research process; they are used during lectures, seminars, practical classes, business games, projects, simulation modeling of problem situations, thematic conferences with the participation of employers. Despite certain shortcomings, the dual system of training is one of the successful models of cooperative training and production, which can be used as an innovative type of organization of targeted training. Findings. The work considers the main aspects of the organization of specialist training in the conditions of interaction between educational institutions and enterprises. After all, the organization of the training process at the enterprise according to the dual form of obtaining education is aimed at the formation of special knowledge, abilities and skills necessary for the performance of qualified professional activities. Originality. The authors considered the concept of the development of the system of dual-form education in Ukraine in modern conditions, which takes into account the historical chronology of the formation of this process, formalizes individual stages and initiates the principles of planning the future development of this domestic system in institutions of higher education. Practical value. The results of this study can be applied by scientific and pedagogical teams of educational institutions of higher and vocational education, as well as by representatives of employers who implement a dual education system.

Designing Effective Models for COVID-19 Diagnosis through Transfer Learning and Interlayer Visualization

Creating a model from scratch that fits the dataset can be laborious and time-consuming. The level of difficulty in designing a new model can vary depending on factors such as the complexity of the model and the size and characteristics of the dataset. Factors such as the number of variables in the dataset, the structure of the data, class imbalance, and the size of the dataset are important in deciding which model to use. In addition, long experimental studies are required to design the most appropriate model for the dataset. In this study, we investigated how transfer learning models can be utilized to solve this problem. Experimental studies were conducted on the Covid-19 dataset with transfer learning models and the most successful transfer learning models were identified. Then, layers that did not contribute to the performance of the transfer learning models and could not extract the necessary features from the dataset were identified and removed from the model. After removing the unnecessary layers from the model, new models with fast, less complex and fewer parameters were obtained. In the studies conducted with the new models derived from the most successful transfer learning models with the inter-layer imaging method, the classes were classified with an accuracy of %98.8 and the images belonging to the Covid-19 class were classified with a precision of %99.7.

Towards a Resilient Organization: Lessons Learned from the Oil and Gas Sector in Qatar

Organizational resilience indicates the capacity of an organization or a system to return to its steady condition, or exceed it, after going through a disruptive event that disrupts its steady condition. Qatar’s oil and gas sector has shown remarkable resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic due to its preparedness and readiness to deal with such a disruption. As a lesson learned from the recent COVID-19 pandemic, local governmental institutions need to support national preparedness and resilience to handle emergencies and unpredictable crises by learning from the successful model of Qatar’s oil and gas sector. This study presents the key Resilience Engineering Indicators (REIs) that make this sector resilient and validates the six Resilience Engineering indexes or dimensions adopted, which include top management commitment, speaking up culture, learning, awareness, being prepared, and flexibility. The study evaluated the performance of these REIs using a 5-point Likert Scale survey questionnaire based on the relevance to resilience dimensions. The results show ten REIs contributing to the organization’s resilience and the top four most important Resilience Dimensions (RDs). Moreover, this is the first study to evaluate and assess the organizational resilience level in Qatar’s oil and gas sector. This study’s results can be integrated into different organizations’ strategies to improve the efforts to enhance the national response to disturbances in governance.