Strategies in PRholog

PRholog is an experimental extension of logic programming with strategic conditional transformation rules, combining Prolog with Rholog calculus. The rules perform nondeterministic transformations on hedges. Queries may have several results that can be explored on backtracking. Strategies provide a control on rule applications in a declarative way. With strategy combinators, the user can construct more complex strategies from simpler ones. Matching with four different kinds of variables provides a flexible mechanism of selecting (sub)terms during execution. We give an overview on programming with strategies in PRholog and demonstrate how rewriting strategies can be expressed

Joint management of shared resources as an alternative approach for addressing maritime boundary disputes : the Kenya-Somalia maritime boundary dispute

Socio-economic security has motivated African states to explore natural resources in areas of overlapping maritime claims. However, Africa’s maritime boundaries are characterized by unresolved disputes. Resolution of these disputes is time-consuming, expensive and can undermine the state’s ability to exploit natural resources. The Somalia and Kenya maritime dispute under litigation with the International Court of Justice demonstrates the continental commitment to peaceful resolution. Citing cases from across Africa, we discuss outright delimitation or Joint Management Zones (JMZs) as means to address disputes over shared resources, particularly transboundary fisheries, which have received little attention. Reframing the Kenya-Somalia maritime dispute resolution process as cooperation over fisheries management will have spill-over effects into greater diplomatic relations. Fish do not abide by maritime boundaries. As such, we posit that the peaceful resolution of maritime boundary disputes lies in Africa’s ability to consider settlements by way of JMZs to motivate sustainable use of natural resources.PostprintPeer reviewe

Cardioprotection of cancer patients receiving cardiotoxic chemotherapy — current status

Certain drugs used for the treatment of cancer can have a toxic effect on various organs and tissues, including the heart. Not only high-dose monotherapy can lead to damage to the heart muscle, but also a combination of two or three chemotherapy drugs can do so. Cancer patients receiving combination of potentially cardiotoxic anticancer therapy have an increased risk of cardiovascular complications. Heart rhythm disturbances, arterial and venous thrombosis, coronary heart disease, valvular lesions, arterial hypertension and, in particular, chronic heart failure may be induced by chemotherapy. An important aspect is to identify groups of individuals with an initially high or very high risk of cardiotoxicity. Such patients should be under the supervision of a cardiologist or a multidisciplinary team for the entire duration of antitumor therapy and undergo additional examinations. Without the necessary laboratory and instrumental monitoring, it is impossible to predict in advance the development of heart failure, which often complicates life-saving chemotherapy, and in some cases even causes its cancellation. It is turned out that cardioprotection aimed at preventing myocardial dysfunction in cancer patients can prevent the development of heart failure and not to interrupt patients’ life-saving treatment even at a late stage of the disease. In the case of verified chronic heart failure, which occurred before the chemotherapy or during antitumor treatment, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers and beta-blockers are used, drugs with a proven cardioprotective potential. Data is gradually accumulating on the significant effect of other groups of drugs used on the regression of chronic heart failure in cancer patients. The purpose of this review is to briefly outline the mechanisms of cardiotoxicity in various chemotherapy regimens, as well as current and future options for cardioprotection in cancer patients receiving cardiotoxic chemotherapy