Networking in the food sector of regional economy

Purpose: The article aims to study the features and the directions of development of network interaction of subjects of the food sector in different regions of the economy. Design/Methodology/Approach: The use of different methodological approaches allowed us to formulate a holistic management concept for the development of a network of competences in the food sector of the regional economy. Findings: The study identified the subjects of such interaction, as well as features that allow them to unite into groups that form networks of competencies. Considering the food sector of the region's economy as a socio-economic system, noted its extreme structural complexity, which necessitates the development of special approaches to its management, or rather the need for structural management is presented. The format of such interaction is a network of competencies, representing a spatially localized socio-economic structure formed on the initiative of active subjects of the regional economy. Practical Implications: The results obtained can be used as a basis for designing a network form of development of the food sector of the region's economy, taking into account the nature of placement and interaction of participants, as well as allowing for effective use of their resource capabilities, experience and knowledge. Originality/Value: In order to overcome the problems associated with the formation of network identity, network management competence is proposed to use a structured approach allowing them to make targeted decisions based on objective conditions and institutional nature.peer-reviewe

Oxidation of n-С5-С8 hydrocarbons and cyclohexane in a reactor with barrier discharge. P. 2. Simulating cyclohexane oxidation reaction

Numerical model of hydrocarbon oxidation kinetics in a reactor with barrier discharge has been proposed by the example of cyclohexane oxidation reaction. The results of calculations with the use of barrier discharge surface model showed that electron energy and other discharge characteristics in pure oxygen and in the mixture of oxygen with cyclohexane vapors slightly differ that allowed using a simplified model of homogeneous discharge for simulating cyclohexane oxidation reaction. The results of calculation showed good fit with the experimental dat

Phonon-assisted radiofrequency absorption by gold nanoparticles resulting in hyperthermia

It is suggested that in gold nanoparticles (GNPs) of about 5 nm sizes used in the radiofrequency (RF) hyperthermia, an absorption of the RF photon by the Fermi electron occurs with involvement of the longitudinal acoustic vibrational mode (LAVM), the dominating one in the distribution of vibrational density of states (VDOS). This physical mechanism helps to explain two observed phenomena: the size dependence of the heating rate (HR) in GNPs and reduced heat production in aggregated GNPs. The argumentation proceeds within the one-electron approximation, taking into account the discretenesses of energies and momenta of both electrons and LAVMs. The heating of GNPs is thought to consist of two consecutive processes: first, the Fermi electron absorbs simultaneously the RF photon and the LAVM available in the GNP; hereafter the excited electron gets relaxed within the GNP's boundary, exciting a LAVM with the energy higher than that of the previously absorbed LAVM. GNPs containing the Ta and/or Fe impurities are proposed for the RF hyperthermia as promising heaters with enhanced HRs, and GNPs with rare-earth impurity atoms are also brought into consideration. It is shown why the maximum HR values should be expected in GNPs with about 5-7 nm size.Comment: proceedings at the NATO Advanced Research workshop FANEM-2015 (Minsk, May 25-27, 2015). To be published in the final form in: "Fundamental and Applied NanoElectroMagnetics" (Springer Science + Business Media B.V.

Корреляция лабораторных маркеров активации системы гемостаза с концентрацией и размером внеклеточных микрочастиц плазмы крови у пациентов с COVID-19

Introduction. In recent years, much attention has been paid to the study of extracellular microparticles (microvesicles and exosomes) and their role in the pathogenesis of human diseases.The objective of this study was to determine the number and size of plasma extracellular microparticles (PEMP) in patients with severe and extremely severe COVID-19 and correlate these data with the markers of hemostasis activation, inflammation, and tissue damage.Methods and Materials. The study included 29 patients with severe and extremely severe COVID-19. Concentration and size of PEMP were determined by nanoparticle trajectory analysis (NTA). All patients underwent the complete blood count and the thromboelastometry (TEM). Hemostatic, biochemical, and immunological parameters were assessed including fibrinogen, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, D-dimer, C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, procalcitonin, von Willebrand factor antigen, interleukin 6, and interleukin 18.Results. There were 14 patients (48.3 %) discharged from the ICU with improvement (group 1— survived patients), and 15 patients (51.7 %) with lethal outcomes (group 2 — lethal outcome); the PEMP concentration did not differ between these groups. In group 2, there were heterogeneity of PEMP population, and a tendency to the larger PEMP size (p=0.074). In all patients, the PEMP concentration correlated negatively with both prothrombin time and the number of large platelets; the size of PEMP correlated negatively with the level of von Willebrand factor antigen, and positively with the fibrinogen. In group 1, the PEMP concentration had a direct correlation with both the level of interleukin 18 and maximum clot lysis in TEM; the PEMP size had a direct correlation with the maximum clot lysis in TEM and an inverse correlation with both the level of procalcitonin and maximum clot density in TEM.Conclusion. Our study confirms the importance of the process of extracellular microparticles formation in the COVID-19 pathogenesis. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the parameters of PEMP population can be predictive biomarkers of the COVID-19 severity.Введение. В последние годы большое внимание уделяется изучению внеклеточных микрочастиц — микровезикул и экзосом — и их роли в патогенезе заболеваний человека.Цель — проанализировать количество и размеры внеклеточных микрочастиц плазмы крови (ВМЧПК) у пациентов с COVID-19 тяжелого и крайне тяжелого течения и сопоставить эти параметры с лабораторными маркерами активации гемостаза, воспаления и повреждения тканей.Методы и материалы. В исследование были включены 29 пациентов с COVID-19 тяжелого и крайне тяжелого течения. Концентрацию и размеры ВМЧПК определяли методом анализа траекторий наночастиц (nanoparticle trajectory analysis, NTA). Пациентам выполняли общий клинический анализ крови и тромбоэластометрию (ТЭМ), а также оценивали в крови коагулологические, биохимические и иммунологические показатели, включая фибриноген, протромбиновое время, активированное частичное тромбопластиновое время, D-димер, С-реактивный белок, лактатдегидрогеназу, прокальцитонин, антиген фактора Виллебранда, интерлейкины-6 и -18.Результаты. Были выписаны из отделения реанимации и интенсивной терапии с улучшением 14 (48,3 %) пациентов (группа 1 — выжившие), а 15 (51,7 %) пациентов умерли (группа 2 — летальный исход); концентрация ВМЧПК между этими группами не различалась. В группе 2 была выявлена гетерогенность размера ВМЧПК, а также тенденция к увеличению размера ВМЧПК (р=0,074). Среди всех обследованных пациентов концентрация ВМЧПК обратно коррелировала с протромбиновым временем и числом крупных тромбоцитов, а размер ВМЧПК обратно коррелировал с уровнем антигена фактора Виллебранда и имел прямую корреляцию с фибриногеном. В группе 1 концентрация ВМЧПК имела прямую корреляцию с интерлейкином-18 и максимальным лизисом тромба при ТЭМ, а размер ВМЧПК прямо коррелировал с максимальным лизисом тромба при ТЭМ и обратно коррелировал с прокальцитонином и максимальной плотностью сгустка при ТЭМ.Заключение. Проведенное исследование подтверждает важность процесса образования внеклеточных микрочастиц в патогенезе новой коронавирусной инфекции (COVID-19) и согласуется с гипотезой о том, что параметры пула ВМЧПК могут являться прогностическими биомаркерами степени тяжести COVID-19

The loyal dissident: N.A. Bernstein and the double-edged sword of Stalinism

Nikolai Aleksandrovich Bernstein (1896-1966) studied movement in order to understand the brain. Contra Pavlov, he saw movements (thus, the brain) as coordinated. For Bernstein, the cortex was a stochastic device; the more cortexes an animal species has, the more variable its actions will be. Actions are planned with a stochastic "model of the future," and relevance is established through blind mathematical search. In the 1950 neoPavlovian affair, he came under strong attack and had to stop experimenting. It is argued that the consistency of his work derived both from both dialectical materialism and the relentless attacks of the neoPavlovians. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

The 2024 Europe report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: unprecedented warming demands unprecedented action

Record-breaking temperatures were recorded across the globe in 2023. Without climate action, adverse climate-related health impacts are expected to worsen worldwide, affecting billions of people. Temperatures in Europe are warming at twice the rate of the global average, threatening the health of populations across the continent and leading to unnecessary loss of life. The Lancet Countdown in Europe was established in 2021, to assess the health profile of climate change aiming to stimulate European social and political will to implement rapid health-responsive climate mitigation and adaptation actions. In 2022, the collaboration published its indicator report, tracking progress on health and climate change via 33 indicators and across five domains. This new report tracks 42 indicators highlighting the negative impacts of climate change on human health, the delayed climate action of European countries, and the missed opportunities to protect or improve health with health-responsive climate action. The methods behind indicators presented in the 2022 report have been improved, and nine new indicators have been added, covering leishmaniasis, ticks, food security, health-care emissions, production and consumption-based emissions, clean energy investment, and scientific, political, and media engagement with climate and health. Considering that negative climate-related health impacts and the responsibility for climate change are not equal at the regional and global levels, this report also endeavours to reflect on aspects of inequality and justice by highlighting at-risk groups within Europe and Europe's responsibility for the climate crisis

Perinatal outcome of pregnancies complicated by placental chorioangioma: systematic review and meta‐analysis

Objective To report the perinatal outcome of singleton pregnancies complicated by placental chorioangioma diagnosed on prenatal ultrasound. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched for studies reporting the outcome of pregnancies complicated by placental chorioangioma. Inclusion criteria were singleton pregnancy diagnosed with placental chorioangioma on prenatal ultrasound, with no other associated structural anomaly. The primary outcome was perinatal mortality. Secondary outcomes included associated non‐structural anomalies detected on prenatal ultrasound (including fetal hydrops, anemia, polyhydramnios, signs of hyperdynamic circulation and small‐for‐gestational‐age (SGA) fetus), SGA at birth, composite neonatal morbidity and preterm birth. Outcome was assessed separately in pregnancies undergoing and those not undergoing fetal therapy. Subanalyses were performed according to the presence of hydrops and the size of the tumor in all pregnancies diagnosed with chorioangioma. Random‐effects meta‐analyses of proportions were used to analyze the data. Results Twenty‐eight studies (161 pregnancies) were included. In pregnancies complicated by chorioangioma that did not undergo intervention, intrauterine death occurred in 8.2% (95% CI, 3.8–15.0%), while neonatal death and perinatal death occurred in 3.8% (95% CI, 1.0–8.1%) and 11.1% (95% CI, 5.0–19.4%), respectively. SGA at birth was present in 24.0% (95% CI, 13.5–36.5%) of cases, while preterm birth < 37 weeks complicated 34.1% (95% CI, 21.1–48.3%) of pregnancies. Composite neonatal morbidity occurred in 12.0% (95% CI, 4.5–22.3%) of cases. On ultrasound, signs of fetal hyperdynamic circulation were present in 21.0% (95% CI, 9.6–35.3%) of cases, while peak systolic velocity in the fetal middle cerebral artery was increased in 20.6% (95% CI, 10.9–32.3%). Subanalysis according to the size of chorioangioma, including both pregnancies that did and those that did not undergo intervention, showed a progressive increase in the occurrence of most of the outcomes explored with increasing size of the tumor. Furthermore, the prevalence of adverse perinatal outcome was high in pregnancies complicated by chorioangioma presenting with fetal hydrops. There was no randomized controlled trial comparing intervention vs expectant management in pregnancies complicated by chorioangioma with signs of fetal compromise (hydrops or hyperdynamic circulation). Overall, perinatal mortality occurred in 31.2% (95% CI, 18.1–46.1%) of fetuses undergoing in‐utero therapy, and 57.3% (95% CI, 39.2–74.4%) had resolution of hydrops or hyperdynamic circulation after treatment. Conclusions Placental chorioangioma is associated with adverse perinatal outcome. The size of the mass and presence of fetal hydrops are likely to be the main determinants of perinatal outcome in affected pregnancies

IMMUNOLOGICAL METHODS FOR EVALUATION OF PLATELET FUNCTIONS IN THE PATIENTS WITH CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES

The aim of this work was a simultaneous analysis of functional platelet activity using both standard optical aggregometry and flow cytometry, by means of measuring P-selectin and GP IIb-IIIa glycoprotein receptor contents on the surface of ADP-induced platelets. GP IIb-IIIa amounts and P-selectin expression on cell surface are significantly increased on platelets after activation with 10 mcM ADP, both in normal donors and in aspirin-treated patients. In clopidogrel-treated patients, the amounts of expressed P-selectin and GP IIb-IIIa did not change after ADP induction, thus suggesting absence of detectable ADP-induced platelet activation in this group. By means of Spearman criterion, a distinct correlation was found between the P-selectin expression, GP IIb-IIIa contents, and rates of standard ADP-induced aggregation. A combination of standard ADP-induced aggregation/activation of platelets with flow cytometry using FITC or PE-labeled antibodies to P-selectin and GP IIb-IIIa, allowed us to apply immunological approaches to analysis of platelet hemostasis, to propose novel laboratory criteria for evaluation of platelet hyperaggregation, and to detect differential effects of clopidogrel and aspirin