bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors affecting the prognosis of prostate cancer in the United States: results from the national health and nutrition examination survey in 1999-2016
Authors: Shen Yu , Pan Xiuyi , Wei Xinyuan , Wang Zilin , Liang Jiayu , Liu Zhenhua
Published: February 2024

Purpose
Prostate cancer is one of the most harmful and widespread cancers in elderly men. This study aims to explore several common lifestyle factors that may influence the overall survival time among prostate cancer patients of different ethnic groups.
Methods
Data obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database (NHANES) between 1999 and 2016 was analyzed. Weighted multivariate cox regression and subgroup analysis were used to explore the underlying factors that affect the prognosis of prostate cancer. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were drawn to demonstrate the different survival time and survival rates in prostate cancer patients with different levels of exposure factors.
Results
A total of 639 prostate cancer patients were enrolled in this study. People with an earlier age of onset tended to have a longer survival time (P < 0.05). Non-Hispanic blacks seemed to be diagnosed with prostate cancer at an earlier stage (P < 0.05). Light to moderate alcohol consumption was a protective factor [HR 0.38, 95%CI:(0.16,0.89)] in Non-Hispanic Blacks with prostate cancer, which could provide longer overall survival time to prostate cancer patients than those who didn’t drink for at least one year. Smoking could be a harmful factor to the whole population [HR 2.37, 95%CI:(1.39,4.04)], while keeping BMI between 25 to 30 had protective effects [HR 0.62, 95%CI:(0.47,0.83)]. Non-Hispanic Whites were more likely to be affected by smoking [HR 3.24, 95%CI:(1.84,5.71)] and BMI [HR 0.57, 95%CI:(0.41,0.78)] compared to Non-Hispanic Blacks.
Conclusion
Appropriate overweight (BMI between 25 to 30) and mild to moderate alcohol consumption seemed to be protective factors in prostate cancer, while smoking showed a detrimental effect. The heterogeneity between ethnicities can’t be ignored and future more large-scale studies are required to verify our findings.
Simulating the mine subsidence and deformations of highway using a stochastic model
Authors: Vušović Nenad M. , Vlahović Milica M.
Published: February 2024

As a response to underground coal mining in large basins, surface subsidence occurs and causes damages to structures and the environment above mining activities thus presenting a serious problem that cannot be avoided but its effects can be reduced. For that purpose, reliable methods that provide a precise prognosis of subsidence and deformations are required. In this study, a new approach, based on the Patarić-Stojanović stochastic method for predicting the mine-induced subsidence and deformations of the Highway E75 Belgrade-Niš (Serbia) in the Southern district of the Morava pit - Aleksinac is given. Also, the sustainability of that highway section affected by the mining operations is assessed. Based on the results of the performed geodetic measurements it can be concluded thar the developed model incorporated into the MITSOUKO software package and supported by spatial analyses in the Geographic Information System (GIS) offers remarkable and efficient simulation of the mine-induced subsidence and deformation processes.
Research on multi-robot path planning technology based on ant algorithm and DWA algorithm
Authors: Huang Hengyi , Fu Sanli
Published: February 2024

Path planning is one of the important links in the research of autonomous navigation of mobile robots. However, faced with the increasingly complex and changeable environment, a single mobile robot cannot meet the requirements for large-scale search and rescue, cooperative operation, reconnaissance and other tasks. Therefore, the multi-mobile robot technology has come into people's vision and gradually become a hot spot for researchers. This paper studies the path planning algorithm of multiple robots, and aims at the possible collision between real-time path planning of multiple mobile robots and the collision with obstacles. A multi-robot real-time dynamic planning algorithm was proposed by integrating ant algorithm and DWA algorithm. The multi-robot path planning simulation software was designed by MATLAB software to test the proposed fusion algorithm, and the multi-robot running trajectory was displayed in real time. The test results verified the feasibility and effectiveness of the fusion algorithm proposed in this paper.
EA-YOLO: Efficient Extraction and Aggregation Mechanismof YOLO for Fire Detection
Authors: Wang Dongmei , Qian Ying , Lu Jingyi , Wang Peng , Yang Dandi , Yan Tianhong
Published: February 2024

For fire detection, there are characteristics such as variable sample feature morphology, complex background and dense target, small sample size of dataset and imbalance ofcategories, which lead to the problems of low accuracy and poor real-time performanceof the existing fire detection models. We propose a flame smoke detection model basedon efficient multi-scale feature enhancement, i.e., EA-YOLO. In order to improve theextraction capability of the network model for flame target features, an efficient attentionmechanism is integrated into the backbone network, Multi Channel Attention (MCA), andthe number of parameters of the model is reduced by introducing the RepVB module;at the same time, we design a multi-weighted multidirectional feature neck structure,Multidirectional Feature Pyramid Network (MDFPN), to enhance the model’s flametarget feature information fusion ability; finally, the CIoU loss function is redesigned byintroducing the Slide weighting function to improve the imbalance between difficult andeasy samples. In addition, to address the problem of a small sample size of fire datasets,this paper establishes two fire datasets, Fire-Smoke and Ro-Fire-Smoke, of which thelatter has the model robustness validation function. The experimental results show that themethod of this paper is 6.5% and 7.3% higher compared to the baseline model YOLOv7on the Fire-Smoke and Ro-Fire-Smoke datasets, respectively. The detection speed is 74.6frames per second. It fully demonstrates that the method in this paper has high flamedetection accuracy while considering the real-time nature of the model. The source codeand dataset are located at https://github.com/DIADH/DIADH.YOLO.
Prediction of greenhouse gas emissions from large ruminants in mixed farming system of Southeast Ethiopia
Authors: Mamo Birhanu , Mengistu Ashenafi , Shenkute Belete
Published: February 2024

The estimated enteric methane EFs for adult males used for breeding & for other purposes, adult multipurpose cows, adult males used for draught, growing males, growing females, calves aged 6monts-1 year (male and female) and calves aged < 6 months (male and female) were significantly (P < 0.01) different than those of cattle subcategories. The estimated enteric CH 4 EF of dual-purpose cattle were significantly (P < 0.001) differed between lowland agro-ecology and other agro-ecologies. Among the total population in the zone, cattle (accounted 83.88%) of the total population. Among the agro-ecologies, the lowland area had the highest share (33.61%), followed by the midland (33.23%) and highland (33.16%) areas. The share of agro-ecologies per total population was highland area (43.54%) followed by midland (35.23%) and lowland (21.23%). The estimated CH4 emission from manure handling practices in the study area were significantly different (P < 0.001) between the sub-category of dual-purpose cattle except for those from adult multipurpose cows > 3 years old and those from adult males used for draught (3–10 years old). The estimated CH4 emissions from manure of dual-purpose cattle were significantly (P < 0.001) different between lowland agro-ecology and other agro-ecologies. The estimated nitrous oxide concentrations for adult males used for breeding and other purpose, adult males used for draught, adult multipurpose cows, growing males, growing females, calves aged 6 month–<1 year (male and female) and calves aged < 6 months (male and female) were significantly (P < 0.001) different between the cattle subcategories. The estimated nitrous oxide concentration in dual-purpose cattle were significantly (P < 0.001) greater for lowland agro-ecology than for other agro-ecologies.
Evaluating the Cost of Robotic-assisted Total and Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Alexander Kate , Karunaratne Sascha , Sidhu Verinder , Fritsch Brett , Gupta Sanjeev , Horsley Mark , Guzman Maurice , Boyle Richard , McBride Kate , Steffens Daniel
Published: February 2024

Purpose
As uptake of robotic-assisted arthroplasty increases there is a need for economic evaluation of the implementation and ongoing costs associated with robotic surgery. The aims of this study were to describe the in-hospital cost of robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RA-TKA) and robotic-assisted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (RA-UKA) and determine the influence of patient characteristics and surgical outcomes on cost.
Methods
This prospective cohort study included adult patients (≥ 18 years) undergoing primary unilateral RA-TKA and RA-UKA, at a tertiary hospital in Sydney between April 2017 and June 2021. Patient characteristics, surgical outcomes and in-hospital cost variables were extracted from hospital medical records. Differences between outcomes for RA-TKA and RA-UKA were compared using independent sample t-tests. Logistic regression was performed to determine drivers of cost.
Results
Of the 308 robotic-assisted procedures, 247 were RA-TKA and 61 were RA-UKA. Surgical time, time in the operating room, and length of stay were significantly shorter in RA-UKA (p < 0.001); whereas RA-TKA patients were older (p = 0.002) and more likely to be discharged to in-patient rehabilitation (p = 0.009). Total in-hospital cost was significantly higher for RA-TKA cases ($18,580.02 vs $13,275.38; p < 0.001). Robotic system and maintenance cost per case was $3,867.00 for TKA and $5,008.77 for UKA. Patients born overseas and lower volume robotic surgeons were significantly associated with higher total cost of RA-UKA. Increasing age and male gender were significantly associated with higher total cost of RA-TKA.
Conclusions
Total cost was significantly higher for RA-TKA than RA-UKA. Robotic system costs for RA-UKA are inflated by the software cost relative to the volume of cases compared with RA-TKA. Cost is an important consideration when evaluating long term benefits of robotic-assisted knee arthroplasty in future studies to provide evidence for the economic sustainability of this practice.
Morphological and phylogenetic analysis of Raillietina sp. infecting domestic pigeons (Columba livia domestica).
Authors: Hassan Amaal ,   2- Mashael A. Aldamigh,   3- Isra M. Al-Turaiki, Alahmadi Ahlam A.
Published: February 2024

Purpose Common tapeworms in poultry digestive tracts are calledRaillietinaspecies. The objective of the present study was to characterize the morphological and genetic relationships between the cestode parasites that infect domestic pigeons (Columba livia domestica) in Al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia. Methods Using optical and scanning electron microscopy, the general morphology and surface characteristics of the collected cestode parasites were examined. Using sequences from the ND1 and 18S rDNA gene areas, molecular analysis was used to confirm the taxonomy of this parasite based on its morphological characteristics. Results demonstrated a high degree of similarity—up to 98.0% and 74.7%, respectively—between the 18S rDNA and ND1 gene regions and other cestode species found in GenBank. Using close ties, phylogenetic research validated the placement of thisRaillietinaspecies within Davaineidae. Conclusion Our findings show that domestic pigeons (C. L. domestica) should be taken into consideration as a potential natural reservoir for several cestode parasite species. To shed light on the evolutionary relationships of Davaineidae, additional research should concentrate on analyzing various genes.
Methodology for Service Life Evaluation of Screens Welded Structures
Authors: Shkut Anastasiia
Published: February 2024

The methodology of research on welded assemblies for fastening vibrators is based on modern software products, in particular SolidWorks Simulation in combination with SolidWorks Motion and hot spot stress (HSS) technology. It has been determined that the research on welded assemblies using the SolidWorks Education Edition software package is expedient, considering the most unfavorable situation, when there is a lack of fusion of edges. The solid-state model displays a lack of fusion as a gap between the welded parts. The research on the stress-strain state of welded structures using the finite element method shows that when the computational mesh cell size is reduced, the stress increases significantly, indicating the model singularity and the need for further application of the HSS technology. Research has revealed that the maximum stresses occur in those points of the welds where the longitudinal middle rib is connected to the plate and pipe. It has been determined that the service life of welded joints will exceed 2·106 cycles. To assess the accuracy of calculating the dynamic forces arising during the screen operation, the modeling results using the SolidWorks Motion program are compared with those classical methods that use the Lagrange equation of the second kind. It turned out that the calculation error does not exceed 30 %.
Modeling of Wave Processes in Hydraulic Drive Systems of Technological Equipment
Authors: Ivanchuk Yaroslav , Belzetskyi Ruslan , Ozeranskyi Volodymyr , Khomenko Volodymyr , Dobrovolska Kateryna
Published: February 2024

The article, based on the performed theoretical research, solves the essential scientific and technical problem of increasing the accuracy of identification of wave processes in a hydrodynamic system (pipeline) by developing a generalized method of mathematical designing of the dynamics of a continuous viscous and weakly compressed fluid in the hydrodynamic system pipeline based on the Navier-Stokes equation. Amplitude-frequency characteristics represent parameters of wave processes in the hydraulic drive system. A partial solution of Navier–Stokes equations, under zero initial conditions, is proposed in the form of four-pole equations, the components of which are represented in the form of the Laplace image of the corresponding relative pressure and flow coordinates and the the hydraulic line parameters determine the four-pole elements themselves It is also proposed to determine the values of the four-pole elements based on time constants and relative damping coefficients on the frequency characteristics of hydraulic lines with distribution parameters based on the condition of equality of the first resonant frequencies and amplitudes (at these frequencies). With the help of the developed methods, the primary dynamic parameters of the amplitude-frequency characteristics of continuous viscous and weakly compressed liquid in the pipeline of hydraulic systems for different flow ranges. This made it possible to achieve the following practical results: the high degree of adequacy of the developed mathematical model indicates an increase in the reliability of determining the operating characteristics when designing a hydraulic drive. The high accuracy of determining the first resonant frequencies and amplitudes allows for creating a hydraulic pump with improved operational characteristics.
Damage Behavior of Multilayer Axisymmetric Shells Obtained by the FDM Method
Authors: Salenko Oleksandr , Drahobetskyi Volodymyr , Symonova Anastasiia , Onishchenko Evgen , Kostenko Anton , Tsurkan Daniil , Vasiukov Dmytro
Published: February 2024

This research rigorously explores the additive synthesis of structural components, focusing on unraveling the challenges and defect mechanisms intrinsic to the fused deposition modeling (FDM) process. Leveraging a comprehensive literature review and employing theoretical modeling and finite element analysis using ANSYS software, the study meticulously investigates the behavior of multilayer axisymmetric shells under varying internal pressure conditions. Critical parameters are identified, and the impact of design factors, including material properties, geometric parameters, and internal pressure, is quantitatively assessed using a rich digital dataset. In a series of model experiments, the study reveals specific numerical results that underscore the progressive nature of damage development in FDM-produced multilayer axisymmetric shells. Notably, under increasing internal pressure, stresses on the tank’s inner walls reach up to 27.5 MPa, emphasizing the critical importance of considering material properties in the design phase. The research also uncovers that the thickness of tank walls, while significant in resulting stresses, does not markedly impact the damage development mechanism. However, it places a premium on selecting rational parameters for the honeycomb system, including shell thickness, honeycomb height, honeycomb wall thickness, and honeycomb cell size, to minimize stress concentrations and enhance structural integrity. The inclusion of honeycomb structures in the tank design, as evidenced by specific results, provides enhanced thermal insulation properties. The research demonstrates that this design feature helps localize damage and mitigates the formation of significant trunk cracks, particularly along generative cracks.
Utilization of Plastic Waste in Reinforcing Sandy Soil for Sustainable Engineering Applications
Authors: Suthar Laxmi , Meena Sanu , Kumar Umesh
Published: February 2024

Large quantities of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic are discarded into the environment during production, application, and disposal. Although current clean-up strategies aim to mitigate the adverse impacts of PET pollution, efforts struggle to keep up with the escalating amount of PET waste. This accumulation of PET waste poses significant threats to ecosystems worldwide. One recycling method for PET plastic waste involves its utilization in soil reinforcement applications within civil engineering. By incorporating PET plastic waste to reinforce poor-quality sands, sustainable construction practices can be promoted in civil engineering infrastructures, addressing multiple aspects of sustainability, including engineering, economic, social, and environmental considerations. The experimental work conducted in this research involved sieve analysis, proctor compaction test, California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test, and direct shear box test. The sand was reinforced with varying percentages of PET plastic waste flakes, namely 5, 10, and 15 %, with respect to the weight of the soil sample taken for the test, and laboratory tests were performed on the samples. Including PET plastic flakes enhanced various soil properties, such as shear strength and friction angle. It also improved the CBR value of the composite, making it suitable for pavement construction. The reduction in dry density further supports the application of the composite in lightweight structures. In conclusion, the geotechnical material obtained from the soil-PET plastic waste composite can be utilized in various geotechnical projects, including landfills and slope stabilization.
Quantifying non-stabilizerness via information scrambling
Authors: Ahmadi Arash , Greplova Eliska
Published: February 2024

The advent of quantum technologies brought forward much attention to the theoretical characterization of the computational resources they provide. A method to quantify quantum resources is to use a class of functions called magic monotones and stabilizer entropies, which are, however, notoriously hard and impractical to evaluate for large system sizes. In recent studies, a fundamental connection between information scrambling, the magic monotone mana and 2-Renyi stabilizer entropy was established. This connection simplified magic monotone calculation, but this class of methods still suffers from exponential scaling with respect to the number of qubits. In this work, we establish a way to sample an out-of-time-order correlator that approximates magic monotones and 2-Renyi stabilizer entropy. We numerically show the relation of these sampled correlators to different non-stabilizerness measures for both qubit and qutrit systems and provide an analytical relation to 2-Renyi stabilizer entropy. Furthermore, we put forward and simulate a protocol to measure the monotonic behaviour of magic for the time evolution of local Hamiltonians.
Exploring the air impacts on the state development of pipe flow using the smooth particle hydrodynamic method
Authors: Zheng Zixuan , Cai Xinwei , Zheng Feifei , Bian Xin , Tang Hongwu , Yuan Saiyu , Ma Yiyi
Published: February 2024

It is widely recognized that the water flow in pipes can be affected by trapped air pockets. However, the underlying air–water interactions of free flow with non-jacking downstream of the pipe are rarely investigated. There are no studies at this time that clearly elucidate the differences in pipe flow between the vacuum and the presence of air in the free flow case. To this end, the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method is applied to study the air–water hydraulic dynamics in the pipe under free flow. We perform SPH simulations in several different scenarios and find that (i) the SPH method is competent to simulate both single- and two-phase flows in the pipe due to its outstanding advantages in capturing complex interfaces; (ii) only when the upstream water level is higher than the top of the pipe inlet, and the water level in the pipe rises to the top of the pipe due to air resistance, can a full pipe flow be formed; and (iii) the presence of air can cause the water to form a full pipe flow, causing a siphon-like effect that promotes pipe drainage. These results provide insights into the underlying complex air–water hydraulic properties in pipe flows.
Digestible energy content and apparent digestibility coefficients of fish meal, soybean meal, corn, wheat middlings and soybean oil in paiche Arapaima gigas
Authors: Vergara-Rubín Víctor Jesús , Guevara-Carrasco Víctor Rodrigo
Published: February 2024

A balanced feed will optimize the performance and nutrient utilization of the paiche according to its genetic potential.  Information is required regarding the nutritive value of the ingredients and the bioavailability of the nutrients. For this reason, and given the limited information available, the objective of this research was to determine the apparent digestibility coefficients of nutrients and digestible energy of fish meal, soybean meal, corn, wheat middlings and soybean oil through the indirect method using chromic oxide as an inert marker. The apparent digestibility of dry matter ranged from 49 % -87 %, protein ranged from 68-90 %, lipids ranged from 73-93 % and energy ranged from 54-97 % for the different ingredients tested. The digestible energy of the fish meal was determined to be 4.34 Mcal.DE/kg. Soybean meal, corn, wheat middlings and soybean oil had values of   3.67 Mcal.DE/kg, 2.63 Mcal.DE/kg, 2.24 Mcal.DE/kg and 9.19 Mcal. DE/kg. Knowledge of the digestibility of nutrients will allow the development of feeds for the paiche with ingredients of greater digestibility, allowing to increase the productive performance of the paiche, the reduction of feeding costs resulting in the improvement of the profitability of fish farmers for a sustainable activity.
Arte, liberación y libertad estética: posibilidades y dificultades de una interpretación hermenéutica de la estética de Schopenhauer
Authors: Rojas Valdés Mitchel Angelo
Published: February 2024

El presente escrito pretende abordar un problema de la filosofía de Schopenhauer, específicamente con respecto a su estética. El problema en cuestión es determinar si es posible, como clave de lectura hermenéutica, sostener que el arte proporciona una liberación al sujeto que tiene la experiencia estética, entendiendo que la liberación se refiere a una suspensión en la existencia de toda volición y carácter desiderativo de la voluntad. El asunto es problemático al considerar en detalle lo que el pensador alemán describe como la voluntad, con todas sus implicancias: aclarando el término de voluntad, se puede encontrar que, a primera vista, no hay realmente una necesidad que permita sacar conclusiones claras sobre la función que cumple el arte en una posible liberación del sujeto de toda volición, en tanto que este está inmerso en una contemplación de carácter estético. No obstante, aquí se propone demostrar que, si bien no está a primera vista esa necesidad que afirme plenamente que el arte puede liberar de forma fehaciente al sujeto de toda volición, sí se puede encontrar al tratar detalladamente y en profundidad los argumentos que da Schopenhauer en el libro tercero de El mundo como voluntad y representación, a la vez que sus complementos, más algunas nociones globales del sistema total del autor alemán.
Kajian Evaluasi Genangan pada Saluran Drainase di Desa Menala Kecamatan Taliwang Kabupaten Sumbawa Barat
Authors: Reviko Mikhaillieno , Ussy Andawayanti  , Jadfan Sidqi Fidari
Published: February 2024

Banjir merupakan permasalahan lingkungan yang seringkali terjadi di kota-kota besar Indonesia, termasuk di Desa Menala, Kabupaten Sumbawa Barat. Penyebabnya adalah kurangnya perhatian terhadap sistem drainase, penyempitan dan pendangkalan saluran drainase, serta perubahan tata guna lahan yang pesat. Sistem drainase berperan penting dalam mengatasi banjir, dan mengubahnya dapat berdampak buruk pada infrastruktur. Untuk mengevaluasi permasalahan banjir, pemodelan dengan perangkat lunak HEC-RAS menjadi solusi yang diusulkan. Pemodelan ini membantu dalam mengevaluasi sistem drainase perkotaan dan merancang solusi efektif. Studi ini menyajikan hasil penelitian menggunakan aplikasi HEC-RAS 6.2 satu dimensi untuk mengevaluasi permasalahan banjir di Desa Menala, Kecamatan Taliwang, Kabupaten Sumbawa Barat. Hasil penelitian menyimpulkan bahwa debit banjir dengan kala ulang 5 tahun berkisar antara 0,005 m3/detik hingga 1,016 m3/detik. Ditemukan 30 saluran drainase yang tidak mampu menangani debit banjir, menyebabkan ketinggian banjir berkisar antara 15 cm hingga 50 cm. Solusi alternatif berupa perbaikan dimensi saluran dengan beton precast U-Ditch berhasil mengatasi masalah, dan perkiraan biaya untuk implementasi solusi ini sekitar Rp 2.007.342.165.
The circular economy strategy as a way of designing more durable, repairable, and reusable products
Authors: Puentes Cociña Beltrán
Published: February 2024

The European Union’s strategy for the circular economy seeks to change the current linear model of production and consumption, which involves the misuse of many resources and the production of huge amounts of waste. To this purpose, it is necessary to amend legislation on the ecodesign of products and introduce durability, repairability and reusability criteria. This article analyses the origins and evolution of ecodesign legislation, as well as the challenges that the circular economy poses to this legislation, pointing out the main limits and regulatory changes that should be considered.
Methodology for zoning the Northern Sea Route water area during salvage and rescue operations and oil spill response
Authors: Kidzhi D. S. , Ol’khovik E. O.
Published: February 2024

A methodology for assessing the possibility of ensuring salvage and rescue operations and oil and oil product spills response throughout the entire water area of the Northern Sea Route has been proposed. From 2024, it is planned to systematically develop year-round navigation along the Northern Sea Route, which will be associated with the need to ensure safety. At the moment, this possibility is severely limited due to the lack of multifunctional vessels of high ice class and technical means for spills response in ices. The methodological basis for determining the response time to marine oil spills in the Polar waters is laid down in the Polar Code, documents of the Maritime Safety Committee of the International Maritime Organization and documents of the Arctic Council, but their application is determined only by the hydrometeorological and geographical conditions at the place of the accident liquidation. Despite their broad and practical focus, the proposed approaches are only of a general methodological nature, which does not take into account the peculiarities of navigation in the waters of the Northern Sea Route, its length and zoning. The developed methodology largely overcomes these limitations and allows, at a qualitative level, to zone the waters of the Northern Sea Route according to three classification criteria. Two model examples are provided in the paper. The first example assumes that shipping occurs only in the western part of the Northern Sea Route, i. e. in the Kara Sea, the Ob Bay and the Yenisei Gulf, and in the eastern sector, shipping is completely absent; the second example assumes that navigation occurs throughout the entire water area. For each option under study, the entire water area is zoned according to the level of readiness, which is assessed as “high”, “medium” and “low” and depends on the presence of icebreakers and multifunctional vessels in the area. In the future, this methodology can be supplemented by an assessment of other factors, such as the influence of hydrometeorological conditions, ice conditions, navigation risks, forecasting the intensity of shipping and the selection of the necessary technical means for oil and petroleum product spills response.
Experimental study on the course stability of a towed barge model
Authors: Ushakov K. M. , Yatsuk Yu. V.
Published: February 2024

The course instability problem of towed objects is discussed in the paper. It is noted that many non-selfpropelled vessels do not have directional stability, as a result of which they make oscillatory movements relative to the course of the towing ship. Increased yaw rate leads to a decrease in towing speed, an increase in loads on the elements of the towing device and a significant increase in the width of the running lane. These factors can lead to an emergency and significantly complicate the towing process, especially on inland waterways. Two main ways to increase directional stability are considered. These are towing “on V-line”, that is a system in which the towing rope is divided into two parts and attached to two points of the towed barge, located symmetrically relative to the centerline, and the installation of skegs in the stern. To determine the effect of these methods, tests of a model of the mixed riversea navigation oil barge 2731 are carried out in calm deep water conditions in the experimental tank of the Admiral Makarov State University of Maritime and Inland Shipping. The root end of the towing rope is attached to the pylon of the towing tank trolley and, thus, the reverse influence of the barge on the characteristics of the tug movement is not taken into account. Sixteen options are considered. The half-width of the running lane is taken as a criterion for the stability of barge movement. As follows from the test results, with increasing towing speed and towing rope length, the width of the running lane increases slightly. The installation of end washers on the skegs has no effect on the stability of the barge. To reduce the width of the running lane occupied by the barge, it is recommended to use towing “on the V-line” and use skegs with fixed flaps.
Providing a cavitation-free regime when flushing ship pipelines with a two-phase mixture
Authors: Lebedeva E. G.
Published: February 2024

It is noted that during the flushing of ship systems and their elements, the mixed flow of water and air has proven itself well as a flushing medium. It has been experimentally established that there is a significant acceleration of the washing process and an increase in the number of flushed-out dirt particles. At the same time, the two-phase flushing method currently has a number of unsolved theoretical and practical problems. One of such tasks is to ensure a cavitation-free flushing regime. The issue of ensuring a cavitation-free regime when flushing ship pipelines with a twophase mixture during the passage of narrownesses stream is considered in the paper. It is known that the cavitation occurrence depends on a number of factors. The degree of each factor influence on the probability of cavitation occurrence is investigated. In this paper, an attempt to theoretically assess the development of cavitation in narrow technological jumpers is made. The main theoretical dependence of the maximum permissible diameter of the jumper on the main parameters of the mixed flow, as well as on the initial pressure of the flushing flow is determined. The main parameters of the mixed flow are the mass flow rate of the flushing water, the densities of the mixture phases, the mass content of air in the flow, the initial diameter of the pipeline and the compression ratio of the jet in a narrow section. A homogeneous mixture model is used in the theoretical study of cavitation phenomena in a two-phase flow. The main design dependencies for determining the maximum allowable diameter of the jumper depending on the main factors of the two-phase flow are defined in the paper. The influence of various factors on the development of cavitation phenomena is evaluated. Particular attention is paid to the choice of the flow diameter of the technological jumper depending on the mass flow rate of the flushing stream, the air content and the initial pressure.
Synthesis of ship systems optimal regulators based on matrix inequalities
Authors: Baryshnikov S. O. , Vikhrov N. M. , Sakharov V. V.
Published: February 2024

The output and state regulators synthesis for ship control systems based on linear matrix inequalities using the CVX software package for solving optimization problems by the method of semi-definite programming is considered. Estimates parameters for regulators providing asymptotically stable systems regimes on Lyapunov inequalities solutions sets are obtained. An algorithm for controlling the ship course using a robust regulator in state feedback, followed by the use of CVX technologies to implement the minimum energy consumption control algorithm, is presented. The control vector estimation is reduced to the minimization of the L2 norm and it is performed in two stages, namely, the best mode is first determined, and then the mode under constraints is defined. The use of Lyapunov inequalities with the calculations implementation in CVX format on proprietary solvers has allowed us to obtain compact program texts and expand the set of restrictions introduced. In the algorithm for solving the boundary value problem of controlling a discrete model of an object, in contrast to existing optimization methods, a mode of transfer from the initial state to the final one with the right boundary, not necessarily equal to zero, is implemented. For a class of observable and controllable time–invariant systems, using the Krylov’s function contained in the MATLAB gallery of functions, L2‑norms to be minimized are formed. Examples of regulator calculations with a given degree of stability and optimal systems, confirming proposed solutions correctness, are given.
The International Court of Justice: A Proper Forum for the Balanced Adjudication of Trade-Environment Disputes
Authors: Odong Nsikan-Abasi
Published: February 2024

The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) sometimes adjudicates cases with environmental undertones while hearing trade disputes. Considering that the DSB is mainly responsible for the application of WTO international trade rules to these cases, it is arguable whether the DSB is the most appropriate adjudicatory forum on cases with environmental undertones. The article analyses four cases decided by the DSB: (1) The United States – Restrictions on Imports of Tuna (Tuna-Dolphin I), (2) the United States – Restrictions on Imports of Tuna (Tuna-Dolphin II), (3) the European Communities – Measures Affecting the Approval and Marketing of Biotech Products (Biotech Product’s case), and (4) the United States – Import Prohibition of Certain Shrimp and Shrimp Products (the US Shrimp case). It also analyses four cases with trade and environment considerations decided by the International Court of Justice (ICJ): (1) Whaling in the Antarctic (Australia v Japan), (2) Gabčíkovo-Nagymaros (Hungary v Slovakia), (3); Certain Activities carried out by Nicaragua in the Border Area (Costa Rica v Nicaragua)/Construction of a road in Costa Rica along the San Juan River (Nicaragua v Costa Rica); and (4) Pulp Mills on the River Uruguay (Argentina v Uruguay). From the analysis, this article finds that the ICJ, rather than the DSB, would be the appropriate arbiter of trade cases with environmental undertones. This article finds that, unlike the DSB, the ICJ has a history of balanced adjudication of cases with trade-environment conflict and appears a better fit to decide cases with elements of trade and environment. As such, this option would guarantee a more neutral avenue for the adjudication of trade-environment conflicts.
Floating Oscillating Water Column Wave Energy Converters: A Review of Developments
Authors: Konispoliatis Dimitrios
Published: February 2024

The main challenge in designing offshore renewable energy structures is to ensure their structural integrity on a life cycle basis while operating in harsh environments and, in parallel, being financially competitive and environmentally friendly concerning other types of energy systems. The Oscillating Water Column (OWC) converters are among the first energy converters to be developed and deployed into the sea due to their relative simplicity of operation and relatively small number of moving parts. This review provides an overview of the recent floating OWC prototypes and projects and the latest research developments in wave energy conversion using the oscillating water column principle. Furthermore, critical structural advances are discussed, mainly focusing on the converter’s geometry and type and its mooring system design towards amplifying the absorbed wave power.
Do Magnetic Monopoles Exist?
Authors: Koutandos Spiros
Published: February 2024

In this paper, we continue our previous work by discussing the consequences of curvature in spacetime caused by the presence of mass and the implications of this. We address the question raised by Dirac regarding the impact of a magnetic monopole on the quantum world. We discuss quantization concerning the solid angles observed, which may have a connection with a magnetic monopole.
Association Between Long‑Term Exposure to Air Pollution and the Rate of Mortality After Hip Fracture Surgery in Patients Older Than 60 Years: Nationwide Cohort Study in Taiwan
Authors: Chuang Shu-Han , Kuo Yi-Jie , Huang Shu-Wei , Zhang Han-Wei , Peng Hsiao-Ching , Chen Yu-Pin
Published: February 2024

Background

To enhance postoperative patient survival, particularly in older adults, understanding the predictors of mortality following hip fracture becomes paramount. Air pollution, a prominent global environmental issue, has been linked to heightened morbidity and mortality across a spectrum of diseases. Nevertheless, the precise impact of air pollution on hip fracture outcomes remains elusive.

Objective

This retrospective study aims to comprehensively investigate the profound influence of a decade-long exposure to 12 diverse air pollutants on the risk of post–hip fracture mortality among older Taiwanese patients (older than 60 years). We hypothesized that enduring long-term exposure to air pollution would significantly elevate the 1-year mortality rate following hip fracture surgery.

Methods

From Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database, we obtained the data of patients who underwent hip fracture surgery between July 1, 2003, and December 31, 2013. Using patients’ insurance registration data, we estimated their cumulative exposure levels to sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), particulate matter having a size of <10 μm (PM10), particulate matter having a size of <2.5 μm (PM2.5), nitrogen oxides (NOX), nitrogen monoxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), total hydrocarbons (THC), nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC), and methane (CH4). We quantified the dose-response relationship between these air pollutants and the risk of mortality by calculating hazard ratios associated with a 1 SD increase in exposure levels over a decade.

Results

Long-term exposure to SO2, CO, PM10, PM2.5, NOX, NO, NO2, THC, NMHC, and CH4 demonstrated significant associations with heightened all-cause mortality risk within 1 year post hip fracture surgery among older adults. For older adults, each 1 SD increment in the average exposure levels of SO2, CO, PM10, PM2.5, NOX, NO, NO2, THC, NMHC, and CH4 corresponded to a substantial escalation in mortality risk, with increments of 14%, 49%, 18%, 12%, 41%, 33%, 38%, 20%, 9%, and 26%, respectively. We further noted a 35% reduction in the hazard ratio for O3 exposure suggesting a potential protective effect, along with a trend of potentially protective effects of CO2.

Conclusions

This comprehensive nationwide retrospective study, grounded in a population-based approach, demonstrated that long-term exposure to specific air pollutants significantly increased the risk of all-cause mortality within 1 year after hip fracture surgery in older Taiwanese adults. A reduction in the levels of SO2, CO, PM10, PM2.5, NOX, NO, NO2, THC, NMHC, and CH4 may reduce the risk of mortality after hip fracture surgery. This study provides robust evidence and highlights the substantial impact of air pollution on the outcomes of hip fractures.
La ley española de eutanasia: algunos atinos y desatinos desde la perspectiva constitucional
Authors: Molero Martín-Salas Ma. del Pilar
Published: February 2024

En junio de 2021 entra en vigor la ley de eutanasia en España. Se trata de un tema complejo, con numerosas implicaciones, por lo que su regulación no resulta para nada sencilla. Con este trabajo no se pretende ofrecer un análisis exhaustivo de la ley, pero sí analizar aquellos elementos más relevantes, bien por lo acertado de los mismos, bien por entender que han sido regulados de manera incorrecta. El artículo gira en torno a dos ideas principales. Por una parte, lo adecuado de la existencia de la ley y que la misma se haya fundamentado en la libertad y autonomía personal, y por otra, la crítica en cuanto a considerar la eutanasia como un derecho y la limitación respecto a los supuestos de hecho.
La adición al artículo 116 de la Constitución federal sobre símbolos estatales
Authors: Berrueco García Adriana
Published: February 2024

En este comentario se expone la reforma al artículo 116 de la Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, que consistió en la adición de un inciso por el cual se faculta a las legislaturas de las entidades federativas a legislar sobre sus símbolos estatales, es decir, escudos, banderas e himnos. También se expone la relación de la nueva facultad con otros ordenamientos internacionales y legales sobre patrimonio cultural.
El proceso legislativo y el “Plan B”: el riesgo de la democracia vacía
Authors: Vázquez Gómez Bisogno Francisco , Hernández Bernal Gunther
Published: February 2024

La “democracia” debe comprenderse constitucionalmente no solamente como una estructura jurídica y un régimen político, sino como un sistema de vida fundado en el constante mejoramiento económico, social y cultural del pueblo. Sin embargo, a un siglo de distancia, la Modernidad, el “positivismo jurídico” y toda la tradición jurídica de la que somos herederos —muchas veces irreflexivos— ha generado una axiología democrática o de consenso, produciendo así lo que hoy podemos denominar como “democracia vacía”. Tal circunstancia, se pone de manifiesto a la luz de la expedición del Decreto que contenía la primera parte del “Plan B” electoral y que fue materia de análisis por parte de la Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación (SCJN) al resolver la acción de inconstitucionalidad 29/2023 y sus acumuladas.
Responsabilidad social, empresarial, derechos humanos y empresas en México
Authors: Dávalos Torres Ma. Susana
Published: February 2024

El objetivo de este artículo es exponer los instrumentos internacionales que han sido adoptados por la Organización de las Naciones Unidas en materia de derechos humanos y las empresas, así como otros instrumentos elaborados por organizaciones internacionales privadas como la Organización Internacional de Normalización (ISO, por sus siglas en inglés) y su adopción en México a través de Normas Oficiales Mexicanas. Este texto resalta que, ante este universo normativo en esta materia, es necesaria una ley especializada, que sistematice todo este universo de normas, así como la implementación de políticas públicas que promuevan modelos de negocios sustentables.
La protección de datos personales ante el ejercicio de los derechos político-electorales en México
Authors: Piña Libien Hiram Raúl , Uribe Arzate Enrique
Published: February 2024

La protección de datos personales en el ámbito político-electoral mexicano se sustenta en un régimen jurídico amplio, que garantiza el registro de los ciudadanos como electores y su derecho a participar como candidato; promueve su libertad individual y voluntad para afiliarse a un partido político, así como brindar su apoyo ciudadano a quienes aspiren a ser candidatos independientes; sin embargo, establece también prohibiciones y sanciones por la dispersión ilegal del padrón electoral. En este texto se exponen los alcances y límites de la legislación mexicana y la jurisprudencia emitida por el Tribunal Electoral del Poder Judicial de la Federación, así como las experiencias derivadas de casos empíricos, con el fin de establecer que los datos personales en materia político-electoral en México posee diferentes grados de protección.
Gobierno abierto y cultura de la legalidad. Hacia una propuesta de política pública en la Ciudad de México
Authors: Carmen López Emilio del
Published: February 2024

Este artículo desarrolla un modelo teórico de alcance medio donde el gobierno abierto favorezca una renovada cultura de la legalidad para alcanzar logros en materia de bienestar social que serán impulsados, en conjunto, por el gobierno y por la sociedad. Para ello, se realiza una propuesta de política pública para la Ciudad de México orientada bajo el enfoque de “procesamiento de la información” buscando aportar estrategias subnacionales que permitan alcanzar el compromiso 13 del Cuarto Plan de Gobierno Abierto.
De la simulación en el informe de gobierno hacia una transparencia normativa efectiva en México en más de 100 años de la Constitución Política Mexicana
Authors: Sánchez Gayosso Ramiro Daniel
Published: February 2024

Por más de 100 años, en México han estado presentes dos prácticas normativas que han regido la transparencia gubernamental, ambas obedeciendo a las lógicas sociopolíticas y diseños legales del momento. Por un lado, tenemos una práctica que data del siglo XIX y que fue formalizada en el siglo XX con la constitución de 1917: el informe de gobierno. Por otro lado, nos encontramos con otro conjunto de disposiciones legales e institucionales a inicios del siglo XXI: las leyes e instituciones en materia de transparencia gubernamental. Debido a ello, la interrogante que se plantea es ¿cuál ha sido el proceso en materia de transparencia en México desde el marco constitucional durante el siglo XX y XXI? El objetivo de este artículo es presentar el avance que se ha producido en materia de transparencia gubernamental para transitar de una simulación presente en los informes de gobierno hasta llegar a una apertura efectiva de la información materializada en leyes e instituciones que han hecho avanzar en dimensiones específicas de la rendición de cuentas en México, esto desde el punto de vista normativo.