bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Water-Repellent Characteristics of Beech Wood Coated with Parylene-N
Authors: Köhler Robert , Sauerbier Philipp , Weber Mirco , Wander Roland-Christian , Wieneke Stephan , Viöl Wolfgang
Published: June 2021

In recent years, awareness regarding sustainability and the responsible usage of natural resources has become more important in our modern society. As a result, wood as a building material experiences a renaissance. However, depending on the use case, protective measures may be necessary to increase wood’s durability and prolong its service life. The chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of parylene-N layers offers an interesting alternative to solvent-based and potentially environmentally harmful coating processes. The CVD process utilized in this study generated transparent, uniform barrier layers and can be applied on an extensive range of substrates without the involvement of any solvents. In this study, European beech wood samples (Fagus sylvatica L.) were coated with parylene-N using the CVD process, with paracyclophane as a precursor. The aim of the study was to analyze the water absorption of beech wood, in relation to the different layer thicknesses of parylene-N. Therefore, four different coating thicknesses from 0.5 to 40 μm were deposited, depending on the initial amount of precursor used. The deposited layers were analyzed by reflection interference spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and their chemical structures and compositions were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Due to the chemical structure of parylene-N, the deposited layers led to a significantly increased water contact angle and reduced the water uptake by 25–34% compared to the uncoated reference samples. A linear correlation between layer thickness and water absorption was observed. The coating of wood with parylene-N provides a promising water barrier, even with thin layers.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of a Novel Glycidyl Metharcylate/Phaytic Acid-Based on Bagasse Xylan Composite Derivative
Authors: Li Mingkun , Li Heping , Liu Hongli , Zou Zhiming , Xie Chaoyu
Published: June 2021

The development of natural biomass materials with excellent properties is an attractive way to improve the application range of natural polysaccharides. Bagasse Xylan (BX) is a natural polysaccharide with various biological activities, such as antitumor, antioxidant, etc. Its physic-chemical and biological properties can be improved by functionalization. For this purpose, a novel glycidyl metharcylate/phytic acid based on a BX composite derivative was synthesized by a free radical polymerization technique with glycidyl metharcylate (GMA; GMABX) and further esterification with phytic acid (PA; GMABX-PA) in ionic liquid. The effects of the reaction conditions (i.e., temperature, time, initiator concentration, catalyst concentration, GMA concentration, PA concentration, mass of ionic liquid) on grafting rate(G), conversion rate(C) and degree of substitution(DS) are discussed. The structure of the composite material structure was confirmed by FTIR, 1H NMR and XRD. SEM confirmed the particle morphology of the composite derivative. The thermal stability of GMABX-PA was determined by TG-DTG. Molecular docking was further performed to study the combination mode of the GMABX-PA into the active site of two lung cancer proteins (5XNV, 2EB2) and a blood cancer protein (2M6N). In addition, tumor cell proliferation inhibition assays for BX, GMABX-PA were carried out using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetraz -olium bromide (MTT) method. The results showed that various reaction conditions exhibited favorable gradient curves, and that a maximum G of 56% for the graft copolymerization and a maximum DS of 0.267 can be achieved. The thermal stability was significantly improved, as demonstrated by the fact that there was still 60% residual at 800 °C. The molecular docking software generated satisfactory results with regard to the evaluated binding energy and combining sites. The inhibition ratio of GMABX-PA on NCI-H460 (lung cancer cells) reached 29.68% ± 4.45%, which is five times higher than that of BX. Therefore, the material was shown to be a potential candidate for biomedical applications as well as for use as a heat resistant material.
Development of Simpler Coarse-Grain Model for Analyzing Behavior of Particles in Fluid Flow
Authors: Kushimoto Kizuku , Suzuki Kaya , Ishihara Shingo , Soda Rikio , Ozaki Kimihiro , Kano Junya
Published: June 2021

A new simpler coarse-grain model (SCG) for analyzing particle behaviors under fluid flow in a dilute system, by using a discrete element method (DEM), was developed to reduce calculation load. In the SCG model, coarse-grained (CG) particles were enlarged from original particles in the same way as the existing coarse-grain model; however, the modeling concept differed from the other models. The SCG model focused on the acceleration by the fluid drag force, and the CG particles’ acceleration coincided with that of the original particles. Consequently, the model imposed only the following simple rule: the product of particle density and squared particle diameter is constant. Thus, the model had features that can be easily implemented in the DEM simulation to comprehend the modeled physical phenomenon. The model was validated by comparing the behaviors of the CG particles with the original particles in the uniform and the vortex flow fields. Moreover, the usability of the SCG model on simulating real dilute systems was confirmed by representing the particle behavior in a classifier. Therefore, the particle behavior in dilute particle-concentration systems would be analyzed more simply with the SCG model.
The October Revolution as the Passion of Christ: Boris Pasternak’s Easter Narrative in Doctor Zhivago and Its Cultural Contexts
Authors: Efimova Svetlana
Published: June 2021

This article offers a new interpretation of Boris Pasternak’s novel Doctor Zhivago in the cultural and historical context of the first half of the 20th century, with an emphasis on the interrelationship between religion and philosophy of history in the text. Doctor Zhivago is analysed as a condensed representation of a religious conception of Russian history between 1901 and 1953 and as a cyclical repetition of the Easter narrative. This bipartite narrative consists of the Passion and Resurrection of Christ as symbols of violence and renewal (liberation). The novel cycles through this narrative several times, symbolically connecting the ‘Easter’ revolution (March 1917) and the Thaw (the spring of 1953). The sources of Pasternak’s Easter narrative include the Gospels, Leo Tolstoy’s philosophy of history and pre-Christian mythology. The model of cyclical time in the novel brings together the sacred, natural and historical cycles. This concept of a cyclical renewal of life differs from the linear temporality of the Apocalypse as an expectation of the end of history.
Geometric- and Optimization-Based Registration Methods for Long-Wave Infrared Hyperspectral Images
Authors: Koz Alper , Efe Ufuk
Published: June 2021

Registration of long-wave infrared (LWIR) hyperspectral images with their thermal and emissivity components has until now received comparatively less attention with respect to the visible near and short wave infrared hyperspectral images. In this paper, the registration of LWIR hyperspectral images is investigated to enhance applications of LWIR images such as change detection, temperature and emissivity separation, and target detection. The proposed approach first searches for the best features of hyperspectral image pixels for extraction and matching in the LWIR range and then performs a global registration over two-dimensional maps of three-dimensional hyperspectral cubes. The performances of temperature and emissivity features in the thermal domain along with the average energy and principal components of spectral radiance are investigated. The global registration performed over whole 2D maps is further improved by blockwise local refinements. Among the two proposed approaches, the geometric refinement seeks the best keypoint combination in the neighborhood of each block to estimate the transformation for that block. The alternative optimization-based refinement iteratively finds the best transformation by maximizing the similarity of the reference and transformed blocks. The possible blocking artifacts due to blockwise mapping are finally eliminated by pixelwise refinement. The experiments are evaluated with respect to the (i) utilized similarity metrics in the LWIR range between transformed and reference blocks, (ii) proposed geometric- and optimization-based methods, and (iii) image pairs captured on the same and different days. The better performance of the proposed approach compared to manual, GPU-IMU-based, and state-of-the-art image registration methods is verified.
Machine Learning for Climate Precipitation Prediction Modeling over South America
Authors: Anochi Juliana Aparecida , de Almeida Vinícius Albuquerque , de Campos Velho Haroldo Fraga
Published: June 2021

Many natural disasters in South America are linked to meteorological phenomena. Therefore, forecasting and monitoring climatic events are fundamental issues for society and various sectors of the economy. In the last decades, machine learning models have been developed to tackle different issues in society, but there is still a gap in applications to applied physics. Here, different machine learning models are evaluated for precipitation prediction over South America. Currently, numerical weather prediction models are unable to precisely reproduce the precipitation patterns in South America due to many factors such as the lack of region-specific parametrizations and data availability. The results are compared to the general circulation atmospheric model currently used operationally in the National Institute for Space Research (INPE: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais), Brazil. Machine learning models are able to produce predictions with errors under 2 mm in most of the continent in comparison to satellite-observed precipitation patterns for different climate seasons, and also outperform INPE’s model for some regions (e.g., reduction of errors from 8 to 2 mm in central South America in winter). Another advantage is the computational performance from machine learning models, running faster with much lower computer resources than models based on differential equations currently used in operational centers. Therefore, it is important to consider machine learning models for precipitation forecasts in operational centers as a way to improve forecast quality and to reduce computation costs.
Perchlorate and Agriculture on Mars
Authors: Oze Christopher , Beisel Joshua , Dabsys Edward , Dall Jacqueline , North Gretchen , Scott Allan , Lopez Alandra Marie , Holmes Randall , Fendorf Scott
Published: June 2021

Perchlorate (ClO4−) is globally enriched in Martian regolith at levels commonly toxic to plants. Consequently, perchlorate in Martian regolith presents an obstacle to developing agriculture on Mars. Here, we assess the effect of perchlorate at different concentrations on plant growth and germination, as well as metal release in a simulated Gusev Crater regolith and generic potting soil. The presence of perchlorate was uniformly detrimental to plant growth regardless of growing medium. Plants in potting soil were able to germinate in 1 wt.% perchlorate; however, these plants showed restricted growth and decreased leaf area and biomass. Some plants were able to germinate in regolith simulant without perchlorate; however, they showed reduced growth. In Martian regolith simulant, the presence of perchlorate prevented germination across all plant treatments. Soil column flow-through experiments of perchlorate-containing Martian regolith simulant and potting soil were unable to completely remove perchlorate despite its high solubility. Additionally, perchlorate present in the simulant increased metal/phosphorous release, which may also affect plant growth and biochemistry. Our results support that perchlorate may modify metal availability to such an extent that, even with the successful removal of perchlorate, Martian regolith may continue to be toxic to plant life. Overall, our study demonstrates that the presence of perchlorate in Martian regolith provides a significant challenge in its use as an agricultural substrate and that further steps, such as restricted metal availability and nutrient enrichment, are necessary to make it a viable growing substrate.
Preventing School Exclusion of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) through Reducing Discrimination: Sustainable Integration through Contact-Based Education Sessions
Authors: Nistor Gheorghița , Dumitru Cristian-Laurențiu
Published: June 2021

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are discriminated against and stigmatized by the school community. The objective of this study is to analyze the school inclusion process of students with ASD by reducing discrimination and stigmatization through contact-based education sessions. This can be achieved through school projects. In the present study, discrimination and stigmatization toward children with ASD were analyzed in high school students (N = 141) through Haghighat’s standardized stigmatization questionnaire (SSQ1). In the active group, a student diagnosed with ASD also participated in the awareness activities of the problems faced by the students with ASD and the contact-based education (CBE) sessions carried out in the classroom. The results showed significant differences in reducing discrimination and stigmatization in high school students, both in the control group and especially in the active group. It was observed that the development of CBE (inclusion of the student with ASD in activities) led to the creation of a supportive school community, demonstrating that the activities carried out within the SucCESS Project achieved their purpose. The SSQ1 can be applied to high school students, and together with CBE activities, it can be used in school inclusion projects for children with ASD or mental disabilities.
Characterizing Errors in Pharmacokinetic Parameters from Analyzing Quantitative Abbreviated DCE-MRI Data in Breast Cancer
Authors: Slavkova Kalina P. , DiCarlo Julie C. , Kazerouni Anum S. , Virostko John , Sorace Anna G. , Patt Debra , Goodgame Boone , Yankeelov Thomas E.
Published: June 2021

This study characterizes the error that results when performing quantitative analysis of abbreviated dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) data of the breast with the Standard Kety–Tofts (SKT) model and its Patlak variant. More specifically, we used simulations and patient data to determine the accuracy with which abbreviated time course data could reproduce the pharmacokinetic parameters, Ktrans (volume transfer constant) and ve (extravascular/extracellular volume fraction), when compared to the full time course data. SKT analysis of simulated abbreviated time courses (ATCs) based on the imaging parameters from two available datasets (collected with a 3T MRI scanner) at a temporal resolution of 15 s (N = 15) and 7.23 s (N = 15) found a concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) greater than 0.80 for ATCs of length 3.0 and 2.5 min, respectively, for the Ktrans parameter. Analysis of the experimental data found that at least 90% of patients met this CCC cut-off of 0.80 for the ATCs of the aforementioned lengths. Patlak analysis of experimental data found that 80% of patients from the 15 s resolution dataset and 90% of patients from the 7.27 s resolution dataset met the 0.80 CCC cut-off for ATC lengths of 1.25 and 1.09 min, respectively. This study provides evidence for both the feasibility and potential utility of performing a quantitative analysis of abbreviated breast DCE-MRI in conjunction with acquisition of current standard-of-care high resolution scans without significant loss of information in the community setting.
The Effect of Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture on Range of Motion in Dogs
Authors: Pinna Stefania , Lanzi Francesco , Tassani Chiara
Published: June 2021

Range of motion (ROM) is a measure often reported as an indicator of joint functionality. Both the angle of extension and that of flexion were measured in 234 stifle joints of dogs with cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture. The aims of this study were to investigate the correlation between CCL rupture and alterations in the range of stifle joint motion and to determine whether there was a prevalence modification of one of the two angles. All the extension and flexion angles were obtained from clinical records and were analysed in various combinations. A significant relationship was found between normal angles and abnormal angles; concerning the reduction in the ROM, a significant prevalence in the alteration extension angle was found. Of the 234 stifles, 33 (13.7%) were normal in both angles. These results could offer important insights regarding the influence of CCL rupture on compromising the ROM. This awareness could be a baseline for understanding the ability of surgical treatment to restore one angle rather than another angle, to address the choice of treatment and to help physiotherapists in their rehabilitation program.
Water Quality Trading Framework with Uncertainty for River Systems Due to Climate and Population Characteristics
Authors: Su Juhn-Yuan , Goel Ramesh , Burian Steven , Hinners Sarah J. , Kochanski Adam , Strong Courtenay , Barber Michael E.
Published: June 2021

Climate change and population growth serve as fundamental problems in assessing potential impacts on future surface water quality. In addition to uncertainties in climate depicted in various representative concentration pathway (RCP) scenarios, futuristic population growth mimicking historical conditions is subject to uncertainties related to changing development patterns. The combination of climate change and population characteristics exacerbates concerns regarding the future water quality performance of river systems. Previous studies have established linkages among future climate, population impacts and watershed water quality performance. However, these linkages have not been specifically incorporated into water quality trading programs. Rather than temporally-variant adjustment factors, WQT programs use constant margins of safety for pollutant reduction credits resulting in trade ratios that do not explicitly account for futuristic climate and population uncertainties. Hence, this study proposes a conceptual framework for water quality trading establishing adjustment factors as margins of safety on trade ratios for pollutant reduction credits examining climate and population characteristics separately followed by evaluating them combined. This new framework is demonstrated using a programming script that calculates the margins of safety based on simulation results conducted through a water quality model of the Jordan River in Salt Lake City, UT, USA over a 3-year timeframe. With margins of safety over magnitudes of ±2 over the Jordan River simulations, this research introduces the framework as a foundation for developing adjustment factors for addressing climatic and population characteristics upon river systems.
Imaging the Structure and the Saltwater Intrusion Extent of the Luy River Coastal Aquifer (Binh Thuan, Vietnam) Using Electrical Resistivity Tomography
Authors: Cong-Thi Diep , Dieu Linh Pham , Thibaut Robin , Paepen Marieke , Ho Huu Hieu , Nguyen Frédéric , Hermans Thomas
Published: June 2021

With the growing population and the adverse effects of climate change, the pressure on coastal aquifers is increasing, leading to a larger risk of saltwater intrusion (SI). SI is often complex and difficult to characterize from well data only. In this context, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) can provide high-resolution qualitative information on the lateral and vertical distribution of salinity. However, the quantitative interpretation of ERT remains difficult because of the uncertainty of petrophysical relationships, the limitations of inversion, and the heterogeneity of aquifers. In this contribution, we propose a methodology for the semiquantitative interpretation of ERT when colocated well data are not available. We first use existing wells to identify freshwater zones and characterize the resistivity response of clayey deposits. Then, we approximate the formation factor from water samples collected in the vicinity of ERT data to derive a resistivity threshold to interpret the saline boundary. We applied the methodology in the shallow aquifers of the Luy River in the Binh Thuan province, Vietnam, where water resources are under pressure due to agricultural, aquacultural, and industrial production. Twenty-one ERT profiles were collected and revealed a much larger intrusion zone, compared to the previous study. Saltwater is present in lowland areas of the left bank over almost the whole thickness of the aquifer, while the right bank is constituted of sand dunes that are filled with freshwater. At a larger distance from the sea, a complex distribution between fresh and saltwater is observed. Our methodology could be applied to other heterogeneous aquifers in the absence of a dense monitoring network.
Magnolia and Viburnum Plant Factors at Different Growing Seasons and Allowed Depletion Levels in a Monsoonal Climate
Authors: Sun Hongyan , Kjelgren Roger , Dukes Michael D. , Beeson Richard C.
Published: June 2021

We investigated seasonal water use, growth and acceptable root-zone water depletion levels to develop tools for the more precise irrigation of two Southeast U.S. landscape species in a monsoonal climate—Magnolia grandiflora and Viburnum odoratissimum. The study was conducted under a rainout shelter consisting of two concurrent studies. One, weighing lysimeter readings of quantified water use (ETA) at different levels of irrigation frequency that dried the root zone to different allowable depletion levels (ADL). Two, planting the same species and sizes inground and irrigating them to the same ADLs to assess the effect of root-zone water depletion on growth. The projected crown area (PCA) and crown volume were concurrently measured every three weeks in both studies as well as reference evapotranspiration (ETo). Plant factor values were calculated from the ratio of ETA (normalized to depth units by PCA) to ETo. The two species had different tolerances for irrigation frequency depending on the season: peak magnolia canopy growth was mid-spring to mid-summer, while peak viburnum canopy growth was summer. Canopy growth for both species was most sensitive to greater ADL-water stress during the peak growth stages of both species. For urban landscape irrigation, these data suggest that 60–75% of available water in magnolia and viburnum root zones can be depleted before irrigation and that they can be irrigated at a plant factor (PF) value of 0.6 of ETo. For landscape situations with high expectations, such as during establishment and especially during peak growth, a wetter water budget that minimizes water stress would be more appropriate: 30–45% ADL and PF values of 0.7–0.8. The results of this study are aimed at water managers and landscape architects and designers in a humid climate who need to account for water demand in planning scenarios.
Asymptomatic Bacteriuria — to Treat or Not to Treat?
Authors: Klimov Vladimir Anatolievich
Published: June 2021

Over the past few decades, the opinion of scientists regarding the need for antibiotic therapy to detect asymptomatic bacteriuria has changed several times. At the present stage, the leading doctors of the world have not come to an unequivocal opinion — whether asymptomatic bacteriuria is worth treating or not. This condition means the presence of microorganisms in the organs of the urinary system, detected during bacteriological examination of urine in the absence of clinical symptoms of damage to the urinary organs. Most often with asymptomatic bacteriuria, Escherichia coli and various types of enterococci, Proteus, Klebsiella act as such bacteria. As a result of studying this issue, it was found that antibiotic therapy in such cases does not always lead to the desired effect, but it can lead to the development of candidiasis while taking antibacterial drugs. Some studies have shown that the presence of conditionally
pathogenic microflora in the urinary tract prevents the development of urinary tract infections caused by more aggressive pathogens. On the other hand, asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy is a source of increased risk in terms of the occurrence of gestational pyelonephritis, which dictates the need for preventive and therapeutic measures in this category of patients. Thus, each case of the detection of asymptomatic
bacteriuria requires an individual approach and the choice of appropriate treatment tactics [2].
Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases of the Urinary System
Authors: Petrosyan Georgiy Rubenovich
Published: June 2021

Urinary tract infections are the most common bacterial lesions of humans. About
150 million cases of these diseases are registered annually in the world. About 95 % of urinary tract infections occur when bacteria migrate ascending from the urethra to the bladder, and in acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis, from the ureter to the kidney. An increased risk of developing urinary tract infections is observed in infants, the elderly, pregnant women, patients with spinal cord injuries, diabetes mellitus, multiple
sclerosis, immunodeficiency diseases, structural abnormalities of the kidneys and urinary tract. The autumn-winter period is a traditional season of development and exacerbation of diseases of the urinary system. This is facilitated by a high risk of hypothermia, a relative decrease in physical activity, a change in the drinking regime and a partial decrease in the body's defenses against colds. The main and most common inflammatory diseases of the urinary system include urethritis, cystitis, pyelonephritis. Due to the anatomical features of the structure of the urethra (the urethra of men is longer and narrower than that of women), urethritis of various etiologies are more common in the stronger sex. Women, for the most part, suffer from cystitis, since the causative agents of infection easily bypass the short and relatively wide urethra and immediately enter the bladder, where they find fairly favorable conditions for reproduction [5].
2 October — All-Russian Urologists’ Day
Authors: Rybachok Oksana Aleksandrovna
Published: June 2021

2 October in Russia is an annual day of celebration of urologists. The decision to
establish it was made in 1996 in Sverdlovsk, during one of the meetings of the Society of
Urologists. Representatives of other related specialties, such as nephrologists, andrologists, and oncourologists, have a fairly close relation with this clinical discipline, therefore it is customary to congratulate all those who provide medical care for this category of patients on this day. Thematic conferences, congresses, and meetings are usually timed to this date. Round tables and free consultations for urological patients are organized. The celebration is attended not only by doctors, but also by nurses, students of medical universities and colleges.
The role of primary health care in preparing young men for military service
Authors: Kuzmin Sergey Aleksandrovich , Grigorieva Lyubov Kuzminichna
Published: June 2021

The basis of the system for providing medical care to the population is primary health care, which includes a number of measures: prevention, diagnosis, treatment of various diseases, medical rehabilitation, the formation of a healthy lifestyle and sanitary and hygienic education. When providing primary health care to young men 15-16 years of age, scheduled preventive medical examinations are carried out annually. The local pediatrician or general practitioner coordinates the work and is responsible for the timeliness of its implementation. Based on the results of the examination, a comprehensive assessment of the state of health of young men is given, physical fitness and neuropsychic health is assessed, a health group and a medical group for physical education are determined, a final diagnosis is made, recommendations on health improvement, treatment, regimen and nutrition are provided, and data on the level of training of young men to serve in the army are analyzed. From 2002 to 2019, the number of boys aged 15-16 declined from 39,113 in 2002 to 18,935 in 2019. The coverage of their preventive examinations was at a high level and averaged 94.27%. During preventive examinations, for the first time a significant number of young men in need of dispensary registration, medical and recreational activities were identified. The total number of young men 15-16 years old, who are annually under dispensary supervision, changed, and during the study period this indicator was 60.6%. The effectiveness of the work was assessed based on the results of the transfer from the third health group to the second health group and removal from the dispensary register. The long-term average rate of transfer of young men from the third health group to the second health group was 26.9%, and the removal from dispensary registration was 7.0%. The leading role in the preparation of young men for military service belongs to outpatient-polyclinic medical organizations. It is necessary to strive to further improve the quality of dispensary observation, to provide all the young men with full-fledged treatment, health improvement and rehabilitation, when it is necessary.
Features of the diagnosis of miliary forms of tuberculosis
Authors: Shlopak Lev Borisovich
Published: June 2021

Miliary tuberculosis is a special form of the disease with a hematogenous transmission route and multiple lesions of internal organs in the form of tiny tubercles resembling millet grains. This infectious disease is one of the forms of disseminated tuberculous lesion, it has a hematogenous transmission route and develops against the background of mycobacteremia. Miliary tuberculosis accounts for about 2 % of all cases and about 20 % of cases of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. In children, miliary tuberculosis most often manifests itself against the background of the primary pulmonary process immediately after infection, in adults, as a rule, this form of tuberculosis lesion develops from the reactivation of hematogenous dissemination. Serous membranes, lungs, lymph nodes, kidneys and bones are most often affected. With this form of the disease, the primary stage of lymphogenous lesion is most often absent, and diagnosis presents significant difficulties due to the absence of specific symptoms and a blurred clinical picture of the disease. Against the background of difficulties in diagnosis, very often, treatment measures begin quite late, which can lead to the development of neglected cases and cause death.
Risk factors and treatment methods affecting quality of life in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer
Authors: Kuzmina Maya Andreevna , Vasina Darya Dmitrievna , Volodin Mark Albertovich , Volodin Denis Igorevich , Bolgov Evgeniy Nikolaevich , Perchatkin Vladimir Aleksandrovich
Published: June 2021

One of the key concepts of modern medicine is the quality of life associated with health, which is influenced by the initial underlying disease, its timely diagnosis and quality treatment, as well as rehabilitation, further prevention and identification of complications that have arisen. The conditions and lifestyle of the patient play an important role, not only his physical health, but also mental health. Despite the fact that benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is not a life-threatening disease, its main clinical signs are symptoms of dysfunction of the lower urinary tract, which to a greater extent cause discomfort to patients and significantly reduce their quality of life. One of the triggering factors for the development of prostate cancer is neglected cases of BPH progression. The occurrence of prostate cancer, as a consequence of BPH, undoubtedly worsens the patient's quality of life and requires timely diagnosis, detection and immediate treatment. Based on the literature data, the article analyzes the risk factors for the occurrence and the main methods of treatment for BPH and prostate cancer, which negatively affect the patient's quality of life.
Nivel de uso estrategias de metacomprensión lectora de estudiantes universitarios
Authors: Gaona Valdera Gino , Oyanguren Goya Julio Yenko , García Manrique Vijaya Ernestina
Published: June 2021

Este estudio tuvo como propósito comparar el nivel de uso de estrategias de metacomprensión lectora de estudiantes universitarios de una entidad privada y una entidad pública. La metodología aplicada posee un diseño no experimental, descriptivo comparativo, transversal y de enfoque cuantitativo. El proceso de recolección de datos fue con la técnica de la encuesta y el instrumento fue el Inventario de Estrategias de Metacomprensión de Maribeth Schmitt, la muestra estuvo conformada por 580 estudiantes universitarios de la facultad de educación primaria (privada y pública). Se concluyó que no existen diferencias significativas en el nivel de uso de estrategias de metacomprensión lectora de estudiantes universitarios de una entidad privada y una entidad pública, ya que el resultado de la prueba U de Mann – Whitney el sig. > 0,05 por ende, puesto que ambos estudiantes de universidad (privada y pública) muestran un bajo nivel de uso de estrategias de metacomprensión lectora.
O COMÉRCIO ELETRÔNICO E A DEFESA DO CONSUMIDOR NAS RELAÇÕES DE CONSUMO
Authors: Rezende Vinícius Biagioni , Paula Daniel Henrique de Souza
Published: June 2021

O presente artigo tem como objetivo analisar a situação de proteção do consumidor no comércio eletrônico. Inicialmente, busca-se abordar o direito do consumidor no Brasil e a internet como o meio utilizado nas relações de consumo e sua regulamentação acerca da Lei do Marco Civil da Internet e da Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados. Em seguida expõe os princípios basilares do Código de Defesa do Consumidor, especificamente os mais utilizados no comércio eletrônico. Logo após, traz um breve estudo sobre a teoria do Diálogo das Fontes sob o Código Civil e o Código de Defesa do Consumidor. Levanta-se aspectos sobre o direito de arrependimento, sua relação frente ao princípio da vulnerabilidade e o que a lacuna deste artigo pode trazer para práticas ilícitas. Em consonância a isso, por meio da analogia com o Direito Penal, levanta-se aspectos de crimes cibernéticos e sua relação com o Direito do Consumidor. Por fim, faz-se informar das ferramentas que garantem a segurança do consumidor na relação consumerista realizada pela internet, junto de um guia prático de como aplicá-lo.
Obtaining of Nano Gold from Concentrate (Banská Hodruša, Slovakia) Using Algae with Utilization of Mechanochemical Activation
Authors: Ficeriová Jana , Dutková Erika , Harvanová Jarmila
Published: June 2021

The difficult and predominantly toxic processing of sulphide concentrates with a low gold content has prompted the finding of a more efficient and environmentally friendly method of obtaining this noble metal. This work was therefore focused on the recovery of gold from the concentrate of refractory sulphide complex (Banská Hodruša, Slovakia) using a non-cyanide mechanochemico-biological process. Gold in this complex concentrate is physically located in the intercrystalline space of sulfide minerals and fills in structural defects in sulfides. The precipitation of gold from the complex mineral matrices of the concentrate can be achieved using a mechanochemico-biological process. This innovative process makes it possible to recover gold by applying a thiourea solution, which is a preferred alternative to toxic a cyanidation. The use of a biological process with the application of algae has shown that algae with siliceous structures make it possible to obtain gold from a complex concentrate (Banská Hodruša, Slovakia) with dimensions of the nano. Limnetic algae (diatoms, golden algae) are part of aquatic ecosystems and form the largest of biomass of all plants on Earth. Mechanochemicobiological process is a method that allows to obtain 100 nm gold nanoparticles from refractory sulphide concentrate (Banská Hodruša, Slovakia).
Monsters in society: Alterity, transgression, and the use of the past in Medieval Iceland [Book Review]
Authors: McDonald Roderick
Published: June 2021

Review(s) of: Monsters in Society: Alterity, Transgression, and the Use of the Past in Medieval Iceland, by Merkelbach, Rebecca, The Northern Medieval World (Kalamazoo: Medieval Institute Publications/Berlin: de Gruyter, 2019) hardback, 253 pages, RRP euro86.95; ISBN: 9781501518362.
Christianity among the Germanic peoples in the territories of the Roman Empire
Authors: Prostko-Prostyński Jan
Published: June 2021

This paper examines what has come to be called Gothic Arianism among the Germanic peoples of late antiquity and its ultimate failure. Goths were to be found among many different Christian groups besides the Arian. The role of Ulfilas, not as a missionary but as a bishop among the Goths is evaluated. The Arian identity of Gothic people under Gothic rule and the relationship between Catholic and Arians in Gothic and Vandal lands is also investigated. The baptism of the Frankish king, Clovis, and its significant role in the slow conversion to Christianity of the Merovingian Franks and the question of whether Burgundians and Lombards were Arians or pagans converted to Catholicism is also examined.
The Christianisation of the eastern European Steppe peoples
Authors: Dudek Jarosław
Published: June 2021

This paper examines the difficulties experienced in bringing Christianity to the peoples of eastern Europe in the early Middle Ages and beyond. In focus are the problems and processes of converting the Eurasian nomads who appeared in the steppes of eastern Europe. The research reveals that the success of missionary activity from various Christian denominations (often associated with trade activities) depended upon the receptiveness of the leaders of nomadic communities. A number of examples from various communities are provided.
Mujeres ecuatorianas y protagonismo sociopolítico en el contexto de la Revolución Ciudadana
Authors:   , Guachichullca Ordóñez Laura Alexandra
Published: June 2021

Esta Tesis Doctoral se plantea, como objetivo general, la construcción de una reflexión teórica en torno a los enunciados históricos, sociales, ideológicos y jurídicos que se encuentran en las diferentes perspectivas teórico-discursivas que se han ocupado de estudiar los procesos de incorporación y protagonismo sociopolítico de las mujeres en la política latinoamericana y ecuatoriana particularmente. La pregunta de investigación, implícita en todo el recorrido de la disertación, se refiere a ¿cómo y desde qué discursos se construye o destruye, según el caso, la incorporación y participación de las mujeres ecuatorianas en la dinámica sociopolítica, con especial atención, en el periodo temporal de la llamada Revolución Ciudadana (RC)? La investigación estuvo orientada teleológicamente por el paradigma cualitativo, centrando su atención en comprender los significados de los discursos inherentes a cada una de las perspectivas incorporadas en la reflexión. Existe una constante referencia al método de Michel Foucault en cuanto al análisis del discurso, porque se considera un enfoque que permite percibir y comprender las relaciones y estrategias de poder latentes de la sociedad ecuatoriana en cuanto al protagonismo sociopolítico de sus mujeres. Son esas relaciones las que hacen que los procesos sociales se desarrollen de una forma y no de otra, por eso, al interpretarlas se intenta comprender las intersubjetividades que se producen entre actores, discursos y contexto.
Analyzing Memetic Isolation Fantasy Themes during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Normalization of a Previously Unknown Social Problem
Authors: Tarasiuk Dagmara
Published: June 2021

The aim of this article is to analyze memes about social isolation introduced in connection with the Covid-19 pandemic. The author’s contact with memes during the first weeks of the pandemic (March–April) was initially motivated only by the desire to fill leisure time in such strange circumstances as the time of quarantine. With time, the observation began to take on a more systematic character, and the images found on the web became an interesting research material illustrating strategies undertaken to normalize and familiarize people with forced isolation and imposed social distancing, measures previously unknown in society on such a large scale. The material thus collected was analyzed using the fantasy themes analysis (FTA) method.
Region Azji i Pacyfiku w procesie transformacji
Authors: Kozłowski Stanisław Czesław
Published: June 2021

Chiny, głównie z powodu ich rosnącej potęgi, egzemplifikują dziejową transformację w kierunku świata z wielobiegunowym układem sił w miejsce układu unilateralnego. Ze zrozumiałych względów proces ten przyciąga uwagę światowego establishmentu – polityków, strategów i ekspertów, którzy podejmują próby nakreślenia scenariuszy rozwoju sytuacji międzynarodowej, w tym w zakresie tak ważnych zagadnień, jak globalne bezpieczeństwo czy koniunktura światowej gospodarki. Powstają ciągle nowe publikacje, a jedną z nich jest opublikowana niedawno książka zespołu autorów Uniwersytetu SWPS pod redakcją naukową prof. Krzysztofa Gawlikowskiego zatytułowana Prasa chińska o przemianach społecznych i kulturowych kraju w początkach XXI wieku. Publikacja w istocie stanowi polski wkład do toczącej się światowej debaty, poświęconej akomodacji wzrostu potęgi Chin przez otoczenie międzynarodowe. Artykuł jest poszerzoną recenzją, omawia wiele wątków podjętych w książce, ale jednocześnie zawiera asocjacyjne odniesienia autora, dla których podstawę stanowiły jego własne prace badawcze obejmujące zagadnienia współpracy międzynarodowej w regionie Azji – Pacyfiku czy współczesnych relacji amerykańsko-chińskich.
Relacje chińsko-północnokoreańskie za rządów Xi Jinpinga – szorstka przyjaźń czy długotrwałe partnerstwo?
Authors: Bielicki Paweł
Published: June 2021

The main purpose of my considerations will be to present the most important determinants and relationships that characterize China-North Korea relations during the presidency of Xi Jinping. Based on the available literature on the subject, I would like to try to answer the question whether the relations of the two entities should be considered as rough friendship or long-term partnership. In addition, I intend to state whether mutual ties should be expected in the future.At the beginning I will describe the relations between China and North Korea during the Cold War, when both countries fought in the Korean conflict against the United States and the United Nations. In addition, it would be appropriate to look at the relations of both entities from 1955 to the fall of the USSR, when the North Korean dictator, Kim Il-sung, as part of his doctrine of independence (Juche) balanced in foreign policy between China and the Soviet Union. Post-Cold War times and Beijing’s relationship with Pyongyang will also be of interest to me until 2013, when the North Korean nuclear program became an increasingly contentious issue. In the rest of the work, it will be important to describe the relationship of both countries since Xi Jinping took power in China and Kim Jong Un in North Korea. At that time, despite official declarations of cooperation, relations between the two countries remained cool. It was only the direct negotiations between North Korea and the United States since 2018 that increased its importance in Chinese policy, as evidenced by the visit of the to Pyongyang discussed in the text in June 2019. In the article I intend to raise economic contacts between both entities.In summary, I am trying to answer the question of how relations between China and North Korea will develop in the future. I intend to assess whether the growing role of the DPRK in an international configuration it can contribute to wider, strategic ties with Beijing.
Air Quality Indexing, Mapping and Principal Components Analysis of Ambient Air Pollutants around Farm Settlements across Ogun State, Nigeria
Authors: Oyebanji Funmilola , Ana Godson , Tope-Ajayi Opeyemi , Sadiq Adebayo , Mijinyawa Yahaya
Published: June 2021

The focus of this study was to portray the spatial pattern of air quality across seasons in the eight sampled farm settlements using air quality indexes and assess the clusters of monitored air pollutants. The concentrations of air pollutants were determined using in-situ portable gas detectors and particulate counter. The AQI for each criteria pollutants (CO, O3, TSP, PM10, SO2, and PM2.5) was calculated using AQI formulae of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and mapped using the Inverse distance weighting (IDW) interpolation method in the Geographic information systems (GIS) environment. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to group the parameters and estimate the interrelationships between the loadings of the parameters in each component. The AQI ranges of pollutants which deviated from the acceptable good status are CO (71.98 – 238 and 88.85 – 220.93), NO2 (10.14 – 107.07 and 10.84 – 72.88) and PM2.5 (12.90 – 70.85 and 12.56 – 54.02) for the dry and wet seasons, respectively. There were five and four PCs with eigenvalues > 1, accounting for 69.75% and 61.73% of the total variance during the wet and dry season, respectively. The parameters in each component are as follows; PC1 - TSP, PM10, PM2.5, Bacteria and fungi; PC2 - CO and Temperature; PC3 - relative humidity and O3; PC4 - CO2; PC5 - NO2 and SO2 for the wet season and PC1 - TSP, PM10, PM2.5, Bacteria and fungi; PC2 - NH3 and NO2; PC3 - CO2 and O3; PC4 - Temperature and relative humidity during the dry season. Biomass burning, engine exhausts and fine-particulate related activities are sources of air pollution and such may pose negative implication to human health and environment. Therefore, the use of alternative biomass disposal, regular servicing of processing engines and the wearing of protective wears against dust are recommended.
Lung and Tumor Characterization in the Machine Learning Era
Authors: Subalakshmi R. , Baskar G.
Published: June 2021

Danger characterization of tumors from radiology
image container to be much precise and quicker with computer
aided diagnosis (CAD) implements. Tumor portrayal via such
devices can likewise empower non-intrusive prognosis, and foster
personalized, and treatment arranging as a piece of accuracy
medication. In this study , in cooperation machine learning
algorithm strategies to better tumor characterization. Our
methodological analysis depends on directed erudition for which we
exhibit critical increases with machine learning algorithm,
particularly by exploitation a 3D Convolutional Neural Network
and Transfer Learning. Disturbed by the radiologists'
understandings of the outputs, we at that point tell the best way to
fuse task subordinate feature representations into a CAD
framework by means of a diagram regularized inadequate MultiTask Learning (MTL) system with the help of feature fusion.
Design Problem of Flat Belts in Internal Transport Systems
Authors: Domek Grzegorz , Kołodziej Andrzej , Warmbier Krzysztof , Gawrońska Elżbieta
Published: June 2021

The work deals with the problem of using flat belts in
internal transport systems. There are many modern solutions for
such belts, but to use them in demanding logistics systems, it is
necessary to analyze the basic problems associated with coupling
in a belt transmission. Then fast movement and transport
problems can be solved. All these parameters contribute to the new
approach to the belt-pulley coupling model, which was proposed
in this paper.