An Adaptive Machine Learning Methodology Applied to Neuromarketing Analysis: Prediction of Consumer Behaviour Regarding the Key Elements of the Packaging Design of an Educational Toy

This research is in response to the question of which aspects of package design are more relevant to consumers, when purchasing educational toys. Neuromarketing techniques are used, and we propose a methodology for predicting which areas attract the attention of potential customers. The aim of the present study was to propose a model that optimizes the communication design of educational toys’ packaging. The data extracted from the experiments was studied using new analytical models, based on machine learning techniques, to predict which area of packaging is observed in the first instance and which areas are never the focus of attention of potential customers. The results suggest that the most important elements are the graphic details of the packaging and the methodology fully analyzes and segments these areas, according to social circumstance and which consumer type is observing the packaging

Key factors affecting people’s unwillingness to be confined during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain: a large-scale population study

Population confinements have been one of the most widely adopted non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) implemented by governments across the globe to help contain the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. While confinement measures have been proven to be effective to reduce the number of infections, they entail significant economic and social costs. Thus, different policy makers and social groups have exhibited varying levels of acceptance of this type of measures. In this context, understanding the factors that determine the willingness of individuals to be confined during a pandemic is of paramount importance, particularly, to policy and decision-makers. In this paper, we study the factors that influence the unwillingness to be confined during the COVID-19 pandemic by the means of a large-scale, online population survey deployed in Spain. We perform two types of analyses (logistic regression and automatic pattern discovery) and consider socio-demographic, economic and psychological factors, together with the 14-day cumulative incidence per 100,000 inhabitants. Our analysis of 109,515 answers to the survey covers data spanning over a 5-month time period to shed light on the impact of the passage of time. We find evidence of pandemic fatigue as the percentage of those who report an unwillingness to be in confinement increases over time; we identify significant gender differences, with women being generally less likely than men to be able to sustain long-term confinement of at least 6 months; we uncover that the psychological impact was the most important factor to determine the willingness to be in confinement at the beginning of the pandemic, to be replaced by the economic impact as the most important variable towards the end of our period of study. Our results highlight the need to design gender and age specific public policies, to implement psychological and economic support programs and to address the evident pandemic fatigue as the success of potential future confinements will depend on the population’s willingness to comply with them

Novel approach to determination of sorption in pervaporation process: a case study of isopropanol dehydration by polyamidoimideurea membranes

Development of novel membranes with optimal performance, selectivity, and stability is a key research area in membrane technology. In the present work aromatic polyamidoimideurea (PAIU) is synthesized and tested as promising membrane material for separation of water and alcohol mixtures. The PAIU membrane structure, density, and transport properties are studied. Mass transfer of water and isopropanol through the membrane is estimated by sorption and pervaporation tests to determine equilibrium sorption degree, diffusion coefficients, flux through the membrane, and separation factor. Two techniques of sorption study from liquid and from vapor phases are used as novel approach to experimental study of mass transfer. The vapor sorption calorimetry permits to analyze the behavior of the polymer material in sorption process. In pervaporation of water-isopropanol mixture, almost pure water mainly permeates through PAIU membrane. To improve the performance, a double layer membrane containing a thin PAIU layer on the surface of porous poly(phenylene oxide) support is developed. The double layer membrane is extremely effective in dehydration of isopropanol.Russian Science Foundation (RSF): grant 16-13-10164

Simulation the process of scientific potential development of the personality at the university: approaches and ideas

It has been established the presence of a high percentage of students with a reproductive level of development of the scientific potential of the individual (39%). There have been identified significant deficiencies in the technological readiness of students for research. It is shown the predominance of students with a creative and heuristic level of development of the scientific potential of the personality in the humanities in comparison with students of natural sciences and mathematical specialtie

Asymmetric Membranes Based on Copolyheteroarylenes with Imide, Biquinoline, and Oxazinone Units: Formation and Characterization

Modern ultrafiltration requires novel perfect membranes with narrow pore size, high porosity, and minimal pore tortuosity to achieve high separation performance. In this work, copolyamic acid (co-PAA) was synthesized and used for the preparation of asymmetric porous membranes by phase inversion technique. Several co-PAA membranes were heated up to 250 °C; during heating, they undergo solid-phase transformation into co-polybenzoxazinoneimide (co-PBOI) via dehydration and cyclization. Comparative characterization of both co-PAA and co-PBOI membranes was realized by scanning electron microscopy, mechanical testing, thermogravimetric analysis, and ultrafiltration experiments. Membrane calibration was carried out using a mixture of seven proteins with different molecular weights. During heat treatment, the molecular weight cut-off of the membranes decreased from 20 × 103 g/mol (co-PAA) to 3 × 103 g/mol (co-PBOI). Abnormally low dispersions of rejection (0.3 for co-PAA and 0.45 for co-PBOI) were observed for the studied membranes; this fact indicates that the membranes possess enhanced resolving power.This work was funded by the Russian Science Foundation (RSF) [grant 16-13-10164]

ТРАНСПЛАНТИРОВАННОЕ СЕРДЦЕ. ПРАВОЖЕЛУДОЧКОВАЯ НЕДОСТАТОЧНОСТЬ, ОТТОРЖЕНИЕ ИЛИ МИОКАРДИТ?

The differentiation of the cases of the right ventricular failure in transplanted heart should be complex and challenging. The 28-year old man with dilated cardiomyopathy underwent orthotopic heart transplantation. After transplantation developed right ventricular failure. The biopsy (n = 5) didn’t reveal any signs of myocardial rejection. There were noted some signs of inflammation in lateral right ventricular wall only by gated SPECT. The right ventricular failure increased and 6 months later there was successfully performed the heart retransplantation on the patient. The virusological study revealed the Epstein–Barr virus in myocardium. The explanted heart research excluded limphoproliferative disease by immunogystochemical tests. The final diagnosis is myocarditis. Дифференцирование причин правожелудочковой недостаточности пересаженного сердца должно быть комплексным. Мужчина 28 лет с дилатационной кардиомиопатией был подвергнут ортотопической трансплантации сердца. После трансплантации развилась прогрессирующая правожелудочковая недо- статочность. Биопсия (в количестве 5) не выявила признаков отторжения миокарда. Только при gated SPECT были отмечены признаки воспаления в боковой стенке ПЖ. Правожелудочковая недостаточность нарастала, и спустя 6 месяцев больному успешно была выполнена ретрансплантация сердца. Вирусоло- гическое исследование выявило наличие вируса Эпштейна–Барр в миокарде. Иммуногистохимические исследования эксплантированного сердца исключили лимфопролиферативное заболевание. Заключи- тельный диагноз – миокардит.