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Car trailers are quite a popular means of transport and are offered in many versions, from single axle light trailers with a maximum permissible weight of 750 kg, through two- or more-axle specialized trailers. The issues of research car trailers focus on two directions: testing the driving properties and analysing the strength of the supporting frame system. Issues related to the construction of light trailers are often common to trailers used in agriculture or general transport. In this article, based on a mass-produced car trailer, an analysis was carried out regarding the choice in the technology of making the supporting structure consisting of a lower frame and an upper frame. The term upper frame should be understood as the structure on which the lifted load box rests. The costs of materials, assembly and technological possibilities of small-scale production were taken into account. In addition, strength analyses of the numerical models were carried out for critical areas of the frame during operation. After considering the unit costs for each of the analysed assembly technologies, it was shown that riveting would be the cheapest. However, the most suitable method of assembly is welding, as it allows the use of standard profiles.

Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) aims to restore intestinal microbiota balance with the objective of normalising its composition and achieve therapeutic benefits. The procedure involves the administration of fresh or frozen faecal microbes from a healthy donor into the recipient’s gastrointestinal tract with the intent to restore the proper structure and functionality of the recipient’s intestinal microbial community. Evidence showing the positive effects of FMT is abundant, however, less attention has been devoted to FMT-associated adverse events, especially in relation to liver diseases. Based on literature review, studies and reports regarding FMT-associated adverse events since the beginning of FMT use, have been analysed. The review covering the period 2010-2022 was undertaken in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines.

The dynamic development of technologies in highly automated vehicles requires the development of new methods for transmitting information on board a vehicle in a timely and efficient manner. In this regard, the direction of data transmission over the air is actively developing. The article considers cloud services that can be used for over-the-air updates in highly automated vehicles. The main, most used and additional cloud services are highlighted. The provider and client responsibility scheme for cloud services IaaS, PaaS, SaaS is presented. The aspects of security of cloud services are considered as one of the most important and priority tasks to prevent threats and protect personal data. Specific categories of over-the-air updates used in highly automated vehicles and adjacent infrastructure are presented and described. The process of releasing and installing firmware and software updates over-the-air on highly automated vehicles, their components and adjacent infrastructure is considered. The results obtained are oriented towards a deeper understanding of the over-the-air software upgrade process.

Ultrasound imaging is common for surgical training and development of medical robotics systems. Recent advancements in surgical training often utilize soft-tissue phantoms based on gelatin, with additional objects inserted to represent different, typically fluid-based pathologies. Segmenting these objects from the images is an important step in the development of training and robotic systems. The current study proposes a simple and fast algorithm for segmenting convex cyst-like structures from phantoms under very low training sample scenarios. The algorithm is based on a custom two-step thresholding procedure with additional post-processing with two trainable parameters. Two large phantoms with convex cysts are created and used to train the algorithm and evaluate its performance. The train/test procedure are repeated 60 times with different dataset splits and prove the viability of the solution with only 4 training images. The DICE coefficients were on average at 0.92, while in the best cases exceeded 0.95, all with fast performance in single-thread operation. The algorithm might be useful for development of surgical training systems and medical robotic systems in general.

We propose an adaptive method for building a multivariate regression given by a weighted linear convolution of known scalar functions of deterministic input variables with unknown coefficients. As, for example, when multivariate regression is given by a multivariate polynomial. In contrast to the general procedure of the least squares method that minimizes only a single scalar quantitative measure, the adaptive method uses six different quantitative measures and represents a systemically connected set of different algorithms which allow each applied problem to be solved on their basis by an individual adaptive algorithm that, in the case of an active experiment, even for a relatively small volume of experimental data, implements a strategy of a statistically justified solving. The small amount of data of the active experiment we use in the sense that, for such an amount, the variances of estimates of unknown coefficients obtained by the general procedure of the least squares method do not allow to guarantee the accuracy acceptable for practice. We also proposed to significantly increase the efficiency of the proposed by O. A. Pavlov. and M. M. Holovchenko modified group method of data handling for building a multivariate regression which is linear with respect to unknown coefficients and given by a redundant representation. We improve it by including some criteria and algorithms of the adaptive method for building a multivariate regression. For the multivariate polynomial regression problem, the inclusion of a partial case of the new version of the modified group method of data handling in the synthetic method proposed by O. A. Pavlov, M. M. Golovchenko, and V. V. Drozd, for building a multivariate polynomial regression given by a redundant representation, also significantly increases its efficiency.

Methods for dose estimation of 137Cs in mouse-like rodents, specifically bank voles (Myodes glareolus), commonly found within the research sites in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, are being proposed. The International Commission on Radiological Protection recommends using the specially developed "BiotaDC" software, but it needs to be adapted to solve specific applied issues. It is shown that the "BiotaDC" approach adequately describes dose accumulation of 137Cs for external exposure inside nest chambers if the mean integral value of soil activity concentration at a depth of 0.5 m is used, for external exposure above soil – if the mean integral value of soil activity concentration at a depth of 0.2 m is used. However, the authors propose a method considering the age of animals at the time of capture and the age-related dynamics of changes in such parameters as excretion and accumulation of radioisotopes for internal dose estimation using the "BiotaDC" software. A detailed dose estimation algorithm is being proposed. Dose estimates for internal irradiation according to the authors' method and the method of the International Commission on Radiological Protection are being compared.

This paper introduces a methodology based on machine learning and remote sensing for detecting military-induced damages to agricultural lands in Ukraine using free Sentinel-2 satellite data. The most informative spectral bands (B2, B3) and vegetation indices (NDVI, GCI) were experimentally selected for recognizing damaged fields through the Random Forest classification algorithm. Additionally, an anomaly detection method based on the estimation of deviations of pixel values from the mean within each field was applied to determine local damage in the identified affected fields. The proposed methodology demonstrated high classification accuracy with an f1-score of 0.87%, producer’s accuracy of 0.89%, user’s accuracy of 0.85, and sensitivity for detecting local damage. The developed anomaly detection method allows to recognize damage visible on the 10-meter pixel of the Sentinel-2 satellite, but does not identify small craters. Cloudiness of satellite images can significantly impair the accuracy of damage detection, and the method of local damage detection can respond to non-military anomalies and requires careful selection of threshold coefficients for each field. The study conducted a comprehensive assessment of damages inflicted on Ukrainian agricultural fields during the period 2022-2023, revealing that a total of 1,544,952 hectares, equivalent to 5.72% of the total agricultural area, experienced damage. This included 509,107 ha of wheat, 114,302 ha of sunflower, 68,830 ha of maize, 4,029 ha of rapeseed, and 16,561 ha of other crops. The most affected regions were Donetsk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson oblasts. The comprehensive findings of this research provide valuable insights for monitoring the state of agriculture and formulating strategic plans for the recovery of agricultural resources amidst the ongoing military conflict.

Abstract Background. The New Medicine Service (NMS) was developed in England more than ten years ago, as a three-stage consultation led by community pharmacists to support patients taking new medication for a chronic disease. In Poland, the scheme was officially introduced in January 2023. However, its implementation into common practice has been presented with various obstacles, including the need to develop relationships with general practitioners, resolve the payment structure, and provide training with adequate supporting materials. Hence, written materials have been designed for use as an optional tool for counselling patients receiving an NMS in community pharmacies. Methods. The present study evaluates the ability of these materials to inform patients about the need to adhere to anti-hypertensive medication. A group of 401 randomly-selected adult visitors to pharmacies and/or healthcare centres were surveyed; one third had hypertension in their history. Results. The structure, grammar and readability of the text achieved the required threshold of 40% according to the Plain Language Index. The designed materials effectively informed the patients about anti-hypertensive medication, reflected in an increased score in a knowledge test, and were rated positively regarding information level, comprehensibility and presentation. Conclusion. The proposed material may serve as an additional, “patient-friendly” educational tool for use as part of an NMS.

Implementing measures by the European countries within the framework of the ratification of the Paris Climate Agreement should ensure an enlarged share in energy production from alternative energy sources and the introduction of new alternative energy capacities, which would provide an annual decrease in carbon dioxide emissions growth rate, reduce anthropogenic pressure on the natural environment and the use of non-renewable natural resources while preserving biodiversity. This paper aims at forming a system of indicators of sustainable transformation of the energy sector and studying their influence on the policy of environmental-oriented development. The paper applies Ward's method for determining the optimal cluster number and discriminant analysis for checking which variables significantly influence the formation of countries' clusters. The six clusters of countries obtained describe the different features of decarbonisation and climate change mitigation policies. Using discriminant analysis helped to single out the most relevant indicators of the energy sector's transformation in the direction of its decarbonisation and climate change mitigation. The most significant indicators (energy efficiency, electricity production capacities for renewables and wastes, and share of energy from renewable sources) largely determine the pace and features of forming sustainable development strategies for the energy sector. By highlighting the relevant cluster groups in the study, their characteristic features, and ways of transformational processes in the energy sector were discovered. This enabled the authors to form specific directions for strengthening and activating the processes of decarbonisation of the energy sector and climate change mitigation. There outcomes can become the basis for further research and the formation of appropriate strategies for sustainable development and transformation of the energy sector. The results stemming from this study could help scholars and other affiliated persons determine future strategies for research for implementing Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

The main objective of the work was to develop a comprehensive model of energy consumption simulation of heavy duty vehicles using the VECTO simulation tool. The research issue was the impact of aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance on fuel consumption and emissions under various driving conditions described in four driving cycles: Urban Delivery, Regional Delivery, Urban, and Suburban. Each cycle differed in driving time, distance and average speed to represent different operational scenarios. The methodology involved defining vehicle parameters such as weight, aerodynamic coefficients and tyre rolling resistance. The main findings show that the impact of both aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance on fuel consumption can be efficiently modelled. It has been proven that the proposed modifications to aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance can reduce fuel consumption by more than 8%. The lowest fuel consumption was achieved in the Regional Delivery cycle, while the Urban cycle had the highest fuel consumption due to frequent vehicle stops. The results show that optimization of vehicle design and its performance can significantly improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions. A computational modelling tool such as VECTO can contribute to sustainable transport solutions and improve the efficiency of heavy duty vehicle.

Objective: Reduced IGF-1 signalling is an evolutionarily conserved mediator of longevity, yet the magnitude of this effect is substantially larger in organisms retaining a common insulin and IGF-1 receptor. Whether this reflects the failure to simultaneously reduce IGF-1 and insulin signalling in mammalian model systems remains unexplored, as is the associated impact on markers of healthy ageing. We set out to address these uncertainties. Methods: We compared the duration of healthy life (healthspan) in male mice with haploinsufficiency of the insulin receptor (IRKO), IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1RKO), or both (DKO), versus wildtype (WT) littermates. Cognitive performance was defined using nesting studies at 3- and 24-months of age. Brain transcriptome was characterised at 3- and 18-months of age using RNA-seq. Results: Healthspan was longer in DKO versus WT, with IRKO and IGF-1RKO being intermediate. At 2 years of age, DKO also exhibited preserved nesting behaviour in contrast with all other genotypes. Differential insulin sensitivity or weight gain during ageing did not explain the preserved healthspan of DKO, since these were comparable to IRKO littermates. Brain transcriptomics at 18 months of age revealed lower expression of canonical ageing-associated genes in DKO versus WT, although many of these findings were replicated in IRKO versus WT or IGF-1RKO vs WT. Conclusions: Reduced insulin and IGF-1 receptor expression have both common and synergistic effects upon elements of healthy mammalian ageing, suggesting future ageing studies should consider targeting both insulin and IGF-1 signalling.