bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Computational analysis of the functional and structural impact of the most deleterious missense mutations in the human Protein C
Authors: Farajzadeh-Dehkordi Mahvash , Mafakher Ladan , Harifi Abbas , Samiee-Rad Fatemeh , Rahmani Babak
Published: November 2023

Protein C (PC) is a vitamin K-dependent factor that plays a crucial role in controlling anticoagulant processes and acts as a cytoprotective agent to promote cell survival. Several mutations in human PC are associated with decreased protein production or altered protein structure, resulting in PC deficiency. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms in human PC to prioritize and confirm the most high-risk mutations predicted to cause disease. Of the 340 missense mutations obtained from the NCBI database, only 26 were classified as high-risk mutations using various bioinformatic tools. Among these, we identified that 12 mutations reduced the stability of protein, and thereby had the greatest potential to disturb protein structure and function. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed moderate alterations in the structural stability, flexibility, and secondary structural organization of the serine protease domain of human PC for five missense mutations (L305R, W342C, G403R, V420E, and W444C) when compared to the native structure that could maybe influence its interaction with other molecules. Protein-protein interaction analyses demonstrated that the occurrence of these five mutations can affect the regular interaction between PC and activated factor V. Therefore, our findings assume that these mutants can be used in the identification and development of therapeutics for diseases associated with PC dysfunction, although assessment the effect of these mutations need to be proofed in in-vitro.
Ultraviolet-C light at 222 nm has a high disinfecting spectrum in environments contaminated by infectious pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Song Byeong-Min , Lee Gun-Hee , Han Hee-Jeong , Yang Ju-Hee , Lee Eun-Gyeong , Gu Hyunji , Park Ha-Kyeong , Ryu Kyunga , Kim Jinwoo , Kang Sang-Min , Tark Dongseob
Published: November 2023

Ultraviolet light (UV) acts as a powerful disinfectant and can prevent contamination of personal hygiene from various contaminated environments. The 222-nm wavelength of UV-C has a highly effective sterilization activity and is safer than 275-nm UV-C. We investigated the irradiation efficacy of 222-nm UV-C against contaminating bacteria and viruses in liquid and fabric environments. We conducted colony-forming unit assays to determine the number of viable cells and a 50% tissue culture infectious dose assay to evaluate the virus titration. A minimum dose of 27 mJ/cm2 of 222-nm UV-C was required for >95% germicidal activity for gram-negative and -positive bacteria. A 25.1 mJ/cm2 dose could ensure >95% virucidal activity against low-pathogenic avian influenza virus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). In addition, this energy dose of 222-nm UV-C effectively inactivated SARS-CoV-2 variants, Delta and Omicron. These results provide valuable information on the disinfection efficiency of 222-nm UV-C in bacterial and virus-contaminated environments and can also develop into a powerful tool for individual hygiene.
Clinical outcomes of corneal neurotization using sural nerve graft in neurotrophic keratopathy
Authors: Saini Manu , Kalia Aman , Jain Arun K. , Gaba Sunil , Malhotra Chintan , Gupta Amit , Soni Tanvi , Saini Kulbhushan , Gupta Parul Chawla , Singh Manpreet
Published: November 2023

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy of corneal neurotisation using sural nerve graft coaptation of the contralateral supratrochlear nerve in unilateral neurotrophic keratopathy and corneal anesthesia. Corneal neuralization has emerged as a potential option in the treatment of neurotropic keratopathy, however not free from the predicament. We evaluated the long-term outcome of corneal neurotisation in the treatment of unresponsive unilateral neurotropic keratopathy using surgical variations to mimic and expedient the surgical procedure.

Methods

A Prospective interventional study involving patients with unilateral neurotrophic keratopathy (NK) who did not respond to medical measures was conducted. The study parameters evaluated were best-corrected visual acuity improvement, ocular surface evaluation parameters [tear break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer’s 1, and ocular surface staining scores (corneal and conjunctival staining)], central corneal sensation (Cochet Bonnet esthesiometer), sub-basal nerve fiber length (SBNFL), and sub-basal nerve fiber density (SBNFD) determined by central confocal microscopy at recruitment and during follow-up at 1-month, 3-month, 6-month, 9-month and 12-month respectively, following corneal neurotization.

Results

Eleven eyes of 11 patients with unilateral neurotrophic keratopathy (NK) who underwent corneal neurotisation were studied. The mean follow-up was 10.09±2.31months (range, 6–12). Mean best corrected visual acuity in log MAR at baseline, 1.35±0.52 improved significantly to 1.06±0.76 (P = 0.012) at 3 months and continued to 0.55±0.60 (P = 0.027) at 12 months. There was a significant reduction in NK grade severity and improvement in the ocular surface as early as 1 month, and central corneal sensations (P = 0.024) as soon as 3 months. Mean corneal SBNF improved from 3.12±1.84 mm/mm2 to 4.49±1.88 at 1 month (P = 0.008), 13.31±3.61 mm/mm2 (P = 0.028) at 12 months. Mean central corneal SBNFD evident at 6 months was 1.83±2.54no/mm2 (P = 0.018) and 4.90±3.12no/mm2 (P = 0.028) at 12 months.

Conclusion

This study substantiates the routine practice of corneal neurotisation by simplifying the intricacies observed during the procedure.
Rapamycin downregulates α-klotho in the kidneys of female rats with normal and reduced renal function
Authors: Espartero Azahara , Vidal Angela , Lopez Ignacio , Raya Ana I. , Rodriguez Mariano , Aguilera-Tejero Escolastico , Pineda Carmen
Published: November 2023

Both mTOR and α-klotho play a role in the pathophysiology of renal disease, influence mineral metabolism and participate in the aging process. The influence of mTOR inhibition by rapamycin on renal α-klotho expression is unknown. Rats with normal (controls) and reduced (Nx) renal function were treated with rapamycin, 1.3 mg/kg/day, for 22 days. The experiments were conducted with rats fed 0.6% P diet (NP) and 0.2% P diet (LP). Treatment with rapamycin promoted phosphaturia in control and Nx rats fed NP and LP. A decrease in FGF23 was identified in controls after treatment with rapamycin. In rats fed NP, rapamycin decreased mRNA α-klotho/GADPH ratio both in controls, 0.6±0.1 vs 1.1±0.1, p = 0.001, and Nx, 0.3±0.1 vs 0.7±0.1, p = 0.01. At the protein level, a significant reduction in α-klotho was evidenced after treatment with rapamycin both by Western Blot: 0.6±0.1 vs 1.0±0.1, p = 0.01, in controls, 0.7±0.1 vs 1.1±0.1, p = 0.02, in Nx; and by immunohistochemistry staining. Renal α-klotho was inversely correlated with urinary P excretion (r = -0.525, p = 0.0002). The decrease in α-klotho after treatment with rapamycin was also observed in rats fed LP. In conclusion, rapamycin increases phosphaturia and down-regulates α-klotho expression in rats with normal and decreased renal function. These effects can be observed in animals ingesting normal and low P diet.
Association between oral condition and subjective psychological well-being among older adults attending a university hospital dental clinic: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Takeuchi Noriko , Sawada Nanami , Ekuni Daisuke , Morita Manabu
Published: November 2023

Positive psychological well-being has a favorable impact on survival rates in both healthy and unhealthy populations. Oral health is also associated with psychological well-being, is multidimensional in nature, and includes physical, psychological, emotional, and social domains that are integral to overall health and well-being. This study aimed to identify the associations between individual and environmental characteristics, oral condition and nutritional status in relation to subjective well-being among older adults using the Wilson and Cleary conceptual model. The participants were older adults (age ≥ 60 years) attending a university hospital. Subjective well-being was assessed using the World Health Organization-5 Well-Being Index, oral condition was assessed based on the number of bacteria in the tongue coating, oral wettability, tongue pressure, occlusal force, oral diadochokinesis, and masticatory ability, and subjective swallowing function was assessed using the Eating Assessment Tool, number of remaining teeth, and number of functional teeth. In addition, factors related to well-being, including social networks, life–space mobility, nutritional status, smoking history, drinking history, and medical history were assessed. In the analysis, structural equation modeling was used to investigate the association between oral condition and subjective well-being. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed oral condition as a latent variable, including tongue pressure, oral diadochokinesis /pa/, /ta/, /ka/, occlusal force, masticatory ability, subjective swallowing function, and number of functional teeth. Structural Equation Modeling revealed that oral condition was positively correlated with nutritional status, and nutritional status was positively correlated with the World Health Organization-5 Well-Being Index. These findings suggest that oral condition may influence subjective well-being via nutritional status or social environmental factors.
Educating for complexity in Inclusive Design: From products to service systems
Authors: Kuzmina Ksenija , Branco Rita Maldonado , Trigueiros Paula , Burrows Alison
Published: November 2023

Inclusivity is the explicit and ultimate aim of Inclusive Design. Although the field continues to develop, it remains heavily influenced by product design logic and practices. Drawing on current discussions on how to educate designers for real-world challenges, we argue that Service Design offers a complementary knowledge set that supports novice inclusive designers in engaging with increasingly complex design problems. To this end, we describe how a Service Design workshop was introduced into an ongoing inclusive design project. The participants’ self-reported experiences were captured throughout and results show the workshop’s impact in five key aspects: re-framing the problem-solution space; encouraging a new design logic; challenging a heuristic approach to designing by systematizing the process; shifting views on disability from individual to structural and systemic levels; its effectiveness for student learning. We discuss how these findings have direct implications for building capacity to address increasingly complex design problems and for the future of Inclusive Design education.
Rhythms in the production and commercialization of crafts in Chaco
Authors: Perret Myriam Fernanda
Published: November 2023

From within a network of movements, the dialogue established between craftswomen and material takes the form of craft practice. As a set of beats, what are the rhythms expressed through the crafting process? This question is approached by following closely the way artisans, from the Qom people of Resistencia (capital of the province of Chaco, Argentina), work with cattail, a native plant that grows in flooded environments such as lagoons and estuaries. The craft generated is mainly sold at the local market. The research expands upon the production and commercialization process. The article is part of an ongoing investigation started in 2012. The ethnographic method was used with information obtained through participant observation, ethnographic interview, informal and formal documentation. Among the multiple rhythms concerning the work, are those linked to: frost, sun, moon, rain, urbanization, sale opportunities and housework. Paradoxically, although a product arises, it is not based on the accounting of a homogeneous ‘working hour’. The selling agreements integrate heterogeneous rhythms that are managed with various strategies including rationing and/or storage of materials, order distribution among several people, batch delivery and drying with heat-emitting devices. Rhythms are inevitably expressed, if not in the sales agreement, through bodies, plants and forms.
Helena Lumbreras’s foundational filmmaking experience in Italy during the 1960s: An artistic biography
Authors: Blázquez Elena
Published: November 2023

Helena Lumbreras (1935–95), founder of the Colectivo de Cine de Clase in Francoist Spain, started her film career at Rome’s Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. The politically charged atmosphere of 1960s Italy marked a turning point for the young filmmaker professionally and ideologically. Her Italian sojourn proved remarkably influential, since it allowed her to delve into cultural materials that were censored in Spain and drew her into left-wing intellectual circles. During these years (1962–70), she encountered film directors and theorists like Pier Paolo Pasolini and Cesare Zavattini, who deepened her interest in collective film movements. She took her first step towards politically engaged cinema with her graduation film, España (1964). In the following years, her deepening involvement with the anti-Francoist movement coincided with her prioritization of documentary over fiction. This veered her career away from representational political cinema towards militant political cinema, which she would eventually put into practice in her homeland.
A Reescrita e a ‘Aventura’ do império em Orlando da Costa e Reis Ventura
Authors: De Ataíde Fonseca Isadora
Published: November 2023

O artigo promove uma releitura conjunta de O Signo da Ira (1961) e de Fazenda Abandonada (1962) para repensar os diversos imaginários do império e a sua projeção na literatura de língua portuguesa no âmbito do colonialismo português. Nesta releitura contemporânea, assinala-se o recurso partilhado por Orlando da Costa e Reis Ventura à memória e à história da trajetória colonial. Nestes romances os autores procuram ‘reescrever’ o destino do império, projetando os seus imaginários e ideologias sobre o futuro então desconhecido do colonialismo. Esta leitura conjunta explora o ‘encontro’, o ‘cruzamento’ e o ‘diálogo’ entre as obras a partir das suas personagens, das suas travessias e dos seus lugares ‘marginais’ nos territórios de Goa e Angola. Com o estudo da cultura e da ideologia na Esfera Pública Imperial também se quer contribuir na discussão dos imaginários literários do século XXI em língua portuguesa que remetem para a ‘reescrita’ do passado colonial.

Palavras-chave: Orlando da Costa; Reis Ventura; Literatura; História; Colonialismo.
Doença e Metáfora: traduzir a experiência pessoal entre o autobiográfico e o político
Authors: Rudari Federico
Published: November 2023

Em 2019, Anne Boyer publica The Undying, um livro de memórias da sua experiência como paciente com cancro da mama. A sua representação da doença é densa em metáforas: as imagens empregadas abrangem desde a biologia até ao domínio do textual. Este artigo pretende discutir as metáforas em relação à escrita autobiográfica da doença em duas direções complementares. Por um lado, as metáforas são formas de reescrita, traduzindo narrativas emocionais e subjetivas em objetos culturais. Nesse quadro, a linguagem funciona como uma ferramenta de tradução na complexidade dos significados possíveis, capaz de unir a experiência privada e a partilha pública. Por outro lado, a lacuna que subsiste entre a experiência individual e o espaço coletivo de discussão pode levar a consequências prejudiciais em termos sociopolíticos. Essa é a posição defendida por Susan Sontag, que aborda em dois ensaios três doenças (tuberculose, câncer e HIV/SIDA) ao longo de dois séculos e os impactos nocivos que o discurso metafórico trouxe tanto para os pacientes como para a sociedade civil. Este artigo aborda tanto a interdependência entre memória autobiográfica, metáforas e doença como as implicações dum fenómeno subjetivo e social. A discussão teórica é seguida por uma análise próxima aos textos supracitados de Boyer e Sontag.
Filling the Hollow
Authors: Silva de Oliveira Valeria
Published: November 2023

Chorus of Mushrooms tells the story of a Japanese family that immigrated to the small city of Nanton, in Canada.  It depicts the challenges of three women of different generations - a grandmother, a mother and a granddaughter - and also a father, engaged in the ongoing process of surviving and (re)constructing identities and memories in a foreign environment, which constantly challenges the characters to deal with blurred and overlapping geographies of home.  Thus, this essay analyzes briefly the narrative strategies employed by Hiromi Goto in the light of postcolonial studies. The analyses of the narrative act in Chorus of Mushrooms reveals not only how the identities of these three generations of women are (re)constructed in the novel, but also how the story – or stories – is/are creatively told and memories resignified in the process. Before analysing Goto’s novel, a brief account of the author’s and the novel’s sociocultural and historical backgrounds is provided. Then, some narrative strategies are highlighted in the light of Suzan Lanser’s (1982) categories, mainly because of the importance of understanding how memory culture unfolds in the novel via these strategies. Finally, further issues of memory and identity are identified and examined in view of Astrid Erll (2011), Vijay Agnew (2013) and Doreen Massey’s (2014) and Linda McDowell’s (1999) theoretical approaches to space, place and gender.  The present study shows not only the role of memories in the narrative and their impact in the characters’ lives, but also Hiromi Goto’s creative and sharp writing skills.
Recent advances in the treatment of pain in endometriosis: A bibliometric analysis of experimental models
Authors: Lima Rafael Abreu , Souza Isabela Bastos Jácome , Frota Gustavo Medeiros , Prazeres Tereza Cristina Monteiro Melo , Albuquerque Ingrid Campos , de Sousa Eduardo Martins , do Socorro Sousa Cartagenes Maria , Carvalho Rafael Cardoso , Ferreira Adalgisa Sousa Paiva , Garcia João Batista Santos
Published: November 2023

Background and Aim: Treatment of endometriosis involves pain relief which is achieved through the administration of analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, with or without the addition of hormone therapy. At present, studies investigating endometriosis pain management using experimental rat models and the use of medications are scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically evaluate research trends and critical points in the field of endometriosis pain management using experimental models.

Materials and Methods: A total of 30 publications related to this topic that were published from 2012 to 2022 were retrieved from various databases, including Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL, using appropriate English keywords. The quality of the publications was evaluated using impact metrics, productivity, term density mapping, and author network.

Results: The average publication rate was three articles per year, reaching its peak in 2021 at five articles per year. The United States and China were found to be the most productive countries, with 12 and 10 publications per year, respectively. The field of medicine (37.0%) was the most abundant, although the H-index was relatively low (13:13). Term density mapping involved the search of 542 keywords, of which 35 were selected, with only 8 exhibiting significant density.

Conclusion: In the past decade, there has been a shortage of publications that have addressed pain in endometriosis in experimental models and, within this context the majority of the production and publication in this field has been performed by the United States and China. After performing this bibliometric review, it can be inferred that more research is required in this field, to develop new approaches and treatments for endometriotic pain.

Keywords: animal model, animal science, endometriosis, rodents, treatments.
Amelioration of ovalbumin-induced lung inflammation in a mouse model by Trichinella spiralis novel cystatin
Authors: Thammasonthijarern Nipa , Boonnak Kobporn , Reamtong Onrapak , Krasae Thanyaluk , Thankansakul Janyaporn , Phongphaew Wallaya , Ampawong Sumate , Adisakwattana Poom
Published: November 2023

Background and Aim: Asthma, a chronic disease affecting humans and animals, has recently become increasingly prevalent and steadily widespread. The alternative treatment of asthma using helminth infections or helminth-derived immunomodulatory molecules (IMs) has been evaluated and demonstrated significant amelioration of disease severity index in vitro and in vivo. Trichinella spiralis, a parasitic nematode and its IMs, elicits a potential to relieve asthma and other immune-related disorders. In this study, we investigated the immunomodulatory function of recombinant T. spiralis novel cystatin (rTsCstN) in ameliorating acute inflammatory asthma disorders in a murine model.

Materials and Methods: Female BALB/c mice were sensitized using intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA)/alum and subsequently challenged with intranasal administration of OVA alone or OVA + rTsCstN for 3 consecutive days, producing OVA-induced allergic asthma models. To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of rTsCstN, the inflammatory cells and cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and OVA-specific immunoglobulin E levels in serum were assessed. Histological alterations in the lung tissues were determined by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and eventually scored for the extent of inflammatory cell infiltration.

Results: The asthmatic mouse models challenged with OVA + rTsCstN demonstrated a significant reduction of eosinophils (p < 0.01), macrophages (p < 0.05), and cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (p < 0.05) and interferon (IFN)-γ (p < 0.05) in BALF when compared with the mice challenged with OVA alone. However, the levels of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 remained unchanged. Histological examination revealed that mice administered OVA + rTsCstN were less likely to have inflammatory cell infiltration in their perivascular and peribronchial lung tissues than those administered OVA alone.

Conclusion: Recombinant T. spiralis novel cystatin demonstrated immunomodulatory effects to reduce severe pathogenic alterations in asthma mouse models, encouraging a viable alternative treatment for asthma and other immunoregulatory disorders in humans and animals in the future.

Keywords: asthma, immunomodulatory molecule, recombinant Trichinella spiralis novel cystatin, Trichinella spiralis.
Two sample unpaired T-test power calculation using simulation
Authors: Sambaraju Prasanth
Published: November 2023

Statistical tests like t test are used to test the hypothesis for comparison of mean between two groups. The result from a t test is used to determine if there a significant difference between the two samples mean, which cannot be attributed to sampling error or to random occurrence. A t test is considered a parametric test, meaning test samples should meet assumptions of normality, equal variances and independence. The article aims to calculate the power of unpaired t test using simulation in Microsoft Excel.
Rice Identification Under Complex Surface Conditions with CNN and Integrated Remote Sensing Spectral-Temporal-Spatial Features
Authors: Liu Tianjiao , Duan Sibo , Chen Jiankui , Zhang Li , Li Dong , Li Xuqing
Published: November 2023

Accurate and effective rice identification has great significance for the sustainable development of agricultural management and food security. This paper proposes an accurate rice identification method that can solve the confused problem between fragmented rice fields and the surroundings
in complex surface areas. The spectral, temporal, and spatial features extracted from the created Sentinel-2 time series were integrated and collaboratively displayed in the form of visual images, and a convolutional neural network model embedded with integrated information was established
to further mine the key information that distinguishes rice from other types. The results showed that the overall accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score of the proposed method for rice identification reached 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.5%, and 99.5%, respectively, achieving
a better performance than the support vector machine classifier. Therefore, the proposed method can effectively reduce the confusion between rice and other types and accurately extract rice distribution information under complex surface conditions.
ANALYSIS OF TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT USED TO DISPERSE NANOTECHNOLOGY. Continuation
Authors: Galinovskiy A. L. , Myo Htet Kyaw , Tsypysheva S. N. , Ternovskih K. A.
Published: November 2023

The article considers analysis of technologies and equipment used for dispersion of micro and nanoparticles. Various methods of preparation of disperse suspensions and colloidal solutions containing nano-particles are described. A summary of the performance of the methods, i.e. the size of the particles after treatment by a method, is presented. Advantages and technological possibilities of methods on specific scientific and applied tasks are considered. Specific attention is paid to the statistical data on the number of methods and their application in research, which is important for the formation of their priority list on the criterion of demand. Separately, the article considers a new method of ultrajet dispersion, which can take its place in the questions of obtaining suspensions and solutions with specified particle sizes. The article is an overview and may potentially be of interest to a wide range of readers addressing the issue of liquids dispersion, as it contains some background data and experience of previously conducted studies.
PROCESSING ERROR DUE TO TEMPERATURE-CONDUCTING DEFORMATION OF THE CUTTING TOOL
Authors: Bezjazychnyi V. F.
Published: November 2023

The method of theoretical and experimental determination of the machining error during turning due to the temperature deformation of the cutter bar is described. The results of calculating the processing error in comparison with their experimental values are presented.
ANALYSIS OF THE VEHICLE MOTION CONTROL SYSTEM FOR MOVING ON STEPPED SURFACES
Authors: Shekhovtsov V. V. , Lyashenko M. V. , Potapov P. V. , Shvedunenko A. A. , Vaganov A. V.
Published: November 2023

The paper presents an analysis of the stabilization of the movement of a vehicle when moving on various surfaces, in particular on stepped ones. A distinctive feature of the vehicle is the unique design of the transmission and the method of motion stabilization based on the stabilization of the reverse pendulum. The motion stabilization system is a relationship between the operation of physical and intellectual objects, in this analysis, a mathematical model of the vehicle completely similar to the real model acts as a physical object, and as an intelligent vehicle stabilization system based on the connection of software applications with the parameters of the physical model. A proportional-integral-differential regulator acts as a control element of the stabilization system, which allows, based on the input signal, to control the output signal in real time to stabilize the movement of the vehicle. Based on performed analysis, it was possible to prove the operability of the vehicle stabilization system.
THE METHOD OF INDIRECT TWO-PART MEASUREMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF PRODUCTION INDICATORS
Authors: Iskenderzade E. B. , Suleymanova E. D. , Veliyev H. S.
Published: November 2023

A method of indirect two-part measurements of production indicators, including two independent measurements, has been developed. An elementary example of such measurements is the measurement of rectangular areas, determination of the specific gravity of the material, etc. According to the proposed method, minimization of the total random error of indirect two-part measurement can be carried out in two cases: 1) if it is known about the equality of the total error in both measurements, but the sum of systematic errors is limited from above, then it is possible to solve the problem of determining systematic errors separately, which minimizes the total random error of a two-part indirect measurement; 2) if it is known about the equality of systematic errors in both measurements, but the sum of systematic errors is limited from above, then it is possible to solve the problem of determining the total errors separately, which minimizes the total random error of an indirect two-part measurement.
ENTROPY APPROACH FOR FILTERING ACOUSTIC EMISSION SIGNALS
Authors: Burda E. A. , Bogomolov D. E. , Naumenko A. P.
Published: November 2023

The acoustic emission (AE) method has been successfully used in recent years to monitor the condition of industrial and civil infrastructure structures. In AE, time-of-arrival (ToA) estimation is considered a key parameter for the accurate location of a growing defect. This paper describes an entropy-based filtering approach to improve the ToA estimation of a signal in a noisy environment compared to the commonly used Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). The proposed method consists of coarsening the input data using the Crutchfield-Packard algorithm and calculating the local (instantaneous) entropy. In the present study, it is demonstrated that the local entropy of the noise component of the signal the local entropy of the useful (informative) part can be distinguished. As a result, the approach allows filtering out the noise component by selecting appropriate filtering parameters. The proposed approach has been tested on experimental data obtained on an aluminium plate used to pinpoint an AE source. The entropic approach demonstrates higher accuracy in final target location of AE sources at significant noise levels compared to classical AIC.
IX INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIAL FORUM "TERRITORY NDT – 2022"
Authors: Matveev V. I. , Kleyzer P. E.
Published: November 2023

A brief overview of the events of the IX International Industrial Forum “NDT Territory. Non-destructive testing. Tests. Diagnostics” Within the framework of the forum, round tables were held on topical problems of non-destructive testing and technical diagnostics, a youth scientific and technical conference, the All-Russian competition of final qualification works “New Generation – 2022”, the final of the All-Russian competition on non-destructive testing “Defectoscopist 2022” and a National Prize in the field non-destructive testing and technical diagnostics. At the exhibition of instruments and equipment, modern means of NDT and TD were presented. The review briefly discusses the main achievements of companies in the field of creation and application of technical means intended for testing, measuring and non-destructive testing of modern structures and materials for various purposes. These are means of vibration diagnostics and non-destructive testing based on the use of various physical methods for the interaction of radiation and fields with the substance and the object of control. Brief information about the companies involved in solving these problems is given.
MICROWAVE SENSOR BASED ON MEANDER-SHAPED VOLUMETRIC STRIP LINE FOR DIELECTRIC CONTROL OF LIQUID MEDIA
Authors: Ishkaev T. M. , Nasybullin A. R. , Farkhutdinov R. V. , Smirnov S. V. , Samigullin R. R. , Kozin K. V.
Published: November 2023

The paper proposes a new type of transducer elements for means of dielectric control of liquid media operating in the long-wave region of the microwave range, based on meander-shaped volumetric strip lines. Their main difference is the increased conversion sensitivity and smaller linear dimensions in comparison with sensors based on planar transmission lines. The introduction describes the relevance of the problem being solved, raises the problem of the need to increase the size of the transducer elements in the frequency range under consideration to ensure satisfactory sensitivity, and determines the transition to bulk structures. In the main part of this section, a mathematical description of the elementary cells of a volumetric strip microwave structure is carried out, and a comparison of the sensitivity with microstrip lines with a dielectric coating that are equivalent in physical parameters is given. In the experimental part of the article, the proposed structure is tested as a transducer element in a experiment to assess the degree of water cut in oil. The result of the experimental study is the obtained sensitivity value of the developed sensor S = 3.142 deg/%, as well as an estimate of the error in measuring the oil water cut, which amounted to 0.3 %.
EXPERIENCE IN IMPLEMENTING THE 5S SYSTEM AT THE BRIDGE METAL STRUCTURES PLANT
Authors: Reznichenko S. V. , Chernositova E. S. , Bondarenko I. N.
Published: November 2023

The experience of implementing lean manufacturing at the bridge construction plant, which was started with the introduction of the 5S system in one of the structural divisions of the enterprise, is considered. For the implementation of the 5S-office system, the cabinet of the masters of the assembly welding workshop was chosen. The stages of implementing the 5S system were considered: sorting, maintaining order, keeping clean, standardization and improvement, as well as the content of work at each stage. As a result of the consistent execution of all planned works, losses arising in the process of documentation management in Workshop No. 2 were identified and analyzed; measures were developed to improve and optimize documentation management in the masters' office, taking into account the specifics of the work performed. This made it possible to restore order in the workplace, organize a storage system for design documents and consumables used by the employees of the workshop, create comfortable conditions for he effective work of the staff.
EXPERIENCE IN THE APPLICATION OF NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING METHODS CONTROL IN THE OPERATION OF PRODUCTS
Authors: Vasenev Yu. G.
Published: November 2023

The article summarizes the practical experience accumulated by the author in the application of non-destructive testing methods in the operation of aviation equipment, main gas pipelines, railway rolling stock. The main criteria for the selection of non-destructive testing methods, their applicability depending on the depth of the defect location and the maximum achievable sensitivity of the method are considered. The main advantages and disadvantages of non-destructive testing methods are indicated specific examples are given: –the influence of manufacturing defects in the material of products (main gas pipelines, railway rolling stock) on the detection of operational cracks; –an erroneous approach to ultrasonic inspection of zones of “tight” connection of two smoothly processed parts of the product and ways to eliminate such errors; –incorrect testing of the control technology, without taking into account: statistics on rejection of parts during their repair, the causes of the destruction of the part, the influence of the operating conditions of the product; the influence of ambient temperature. Recommendations are given on the search zones for operational defects of technological gas pipelines. Recommendations have been worked out to eliminate the identified shortcomings. The author gives examples of the application of non-destructive testing methods for 30 years of his practical activity.
SIMULATION OF CRACK EFFECT ON SPECTRUM OF NATURAL OSCILLATIONS DURING MONITORING OF STRENGTH OF LARGE STRUCTURES
Authors: Kugushev V. I.
Published: November 2023

This document contains monitoring results of structural strength of bearing beams of two large structures. To conduct the monitoring, beam natural oscillations were excited and their spectrum changes in case of possible defects were analysed. Simulators in the form of small-size plates pressed to the beams were used as possible defects (cracks). The specific feature of such a simulation is that the plate, pressed to the beam in an antinodal point of some mode of natural oscillations and damping it, also damps it in all the other antinodal points. The oscillations were excited and received by special transducers with mechanical filters at their inputs. This enables significant reduction of the spectrum of natural oscillations, reducing it to two or several dominant modes. It is shown that during the flaw detection with such a reduced spectrum, two processes take place – damping of natural oscillations and energy redistribution between their modes, which should be taken into account during the monitoring in automated mode.
TO ASSESS THE RATIO OF ECHO SIGNAL LEVELS AND STRUCTURAL NOISE DURING ULTRASONIC TESTING OF CERTAIN TYPES OF STEEL USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANT EQUIPMENT
Authors: Danilov V. N.
Published: November 2023

Based on computer modeling, the signal-to-noise ratio estimates are made for models of reflectors in the form of a side drilled hole and a round flat bottom hole small size during ultrasonic method by an angle probe of products made of a number of types of steel used in the manufacture of equipment for nuclear power plants. It is shown that for steels of types 20, 12X1MF and 10GN2MFA, the ratio of the levels of the echo signal and structural noise (signal/noise) for both models with a large margin satisfy the criterion of Prof. I. N. Ermolov reliable detection of a useful echo signal. For steel of type 15X2MFA-A, due to a sufficiently large value of the average grain size and, accordingly, an increased level of structural noise, the signal-to-noise ratio may not meet the criterion of Prof. I. N. Ermolov, which necessitates an increase in this ratio, for example, by increasing the damping of the piezoelectric plate of the angle probe. To increase the signal-to-noise ratio and increase the amplitude of the echo signal, it may be advisable to use a angle probe with a composite piezoelectric plate.
CONTROL SYSTEM OF THE ELECTRIC DRIVE OF THE LOOP HOLDER OF THE FINISHING GROUP OF THE HOT ROLLING MILL, WHICH IMPLEMENTS CONTROL AND FORCING OF THE ELECTRIC DRIVE MOMENT
Authors: Meshcheryakov V. N. , Kryukov O. V. , Didenko E. E.
Published: November 2023

The operation of the DC electric drive of the loop holder installed on the hot rolling mill between the stands of the finishing group, which is part of the SARN with the indirect principle of metal tension control, which generates control signals based on the control of the specific tension of the strip passing between two stands, is considered. It is shown that the SARN action algorithm is based on taking into account the impact on the strip of the auxiliary mechanism – the loop holder, the frame of which must be rotated to the optimal angle. The conditions are described under which the looper is in an equilibrium state, when the moment of the electric motor balances the moment of resistance on its shaft, determined by the force arising due to the tension of the strip. It is shown that the high-speed electric drive of the looper, which is in the steady braking mode for most of the cycle time and creates a braking torque, at the moment the strip enters the interstand gap, should provide a short-term forcing of the moment for the movement of the frame, followed by a stop in the allowable zone of the angle of rotation.
DIELECTRIC SPECTROSCOPY METHOD FOR POLAR POLYMERS ELASTIC PROPERTIES DIAGNOSTICS
Authors: Danilaev M. P. , Drobyshev S. V. , Karandashov S. A. , Klabukov M. A. , Kuklin V. A. , Lunev I. V.
Published: November 2023

The mechanical properties of polymer materials are changes under the complex influence of such climatic factors as, for example, solar radiation, temperature changes, high humidity, and the impact of microorganisms – destructors. The methods of non-invasive diagnostics have to be used for changes prediction of the polymers materials products mechanical properties. The dielectric spectroscopy possibility using for diagnosing the modulus of elasticity of polymeric materials is considered in that paper. The results of elasticity modulus investigation by the dielectric spectroscopy using the DiMarzio–Bishop model and the mechanical measurements method are considered and compared in that paper. The results of dielectric and mechanical properties of polymers samples (polymethylmethacrylate, polycarbonate and polyvinylchloride) investigation are considered in that paper. These polymers are polar, so their mechanical properties in the elastic region of deformations can be investigate by dielectric spectroscopy method. This is due to the fact that the elastic deformations of a polymer are determined by the deformation of its macromolecules. It is show, that there are qualitative agreements between results of that measurement and the DiMarzio–Bishop model have to be refinement. The dipoles are represented as a spheres and interaction between dipoles are neglected in the DiMarzio–Bishop model. In our opinion, the interaction between dipoles in polymeric macromolecules is inevitable, and the configuration of dipoles differs from spherical. The necessity of using the calibration coefficient in the DiMarzio–Bishop model is shown by comparing the results of elastic modulus experimental measurements by the mechanical method and the dielectric spectroscopy method. This calibration factor takes into account the average number of dipoles in a macromolecule with a coefficient proportionality ∼6,7⋅10–5.
GEOELECTRIC PHASOMETRIC CONTROL OF THE RAILWAY TRACKBED
Authors: Bykov A. A. , Surzhik D. I. , Vasilyev G. S. , Kuzichkin O. R.
Published: November 2023

During the operation of the railway track, various defects and deformations may occur and accumulate in the earth bed and its soil base, which leads to a violation of their bearing capacity. The task of developing new technological methods for monitoring the condition of the ground foundation – roadbed – railway track system is becoming urgent. The article proposes a geoelectric phase-measuring method for monitoring the phase of recorded signals with changes in the load on the ground at the base of the railway track. The control of phase characteristics allows for greater sensitivity, accuracy and noise immunity compared to the control of the amplitude of geoelectric signals. The developed laboratory setup allows simulating various natural processes (changes in soil moisture, suffusion, karst dips, landslides, landslides, and others) and assessing their impact on the railway transport complex. The installation contains a model of the controlled object (a container with soil), generators of probing signals, a subsystem for recording signals in the environment, a subsystem for data processing. The proposed approach makes it possible to detect early geodynamic indicators of deformations of the railway trackbed.
METROLOGY WITHOUT BORDERS 2023
Authors: Matveev V. I.
Published: November 2023

The content of the International Metrology Forum dedicated to the next World Metrology Day and the accompanying exhibition is briefly described. The main topics of the business program were the improvement of the level of metrological measurements, the development of standardization systems and product certification. The exhibition demonstrated modern metrological measuring instruments and product certification produced by leading enterprises of the industry.
MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL OF THE THICKNESS OF QUARTZ TUBES BY OPTICAL METHOD
Authors: Al-Ghuraibawi A. O. , Vorobev N. V. , Rusinov L. A.
Published: November 2023

Quartz glass tubes are widely used in electronic, chemical, lighting and other industries. They have good heat resistance, light transmission, electrical insulation and chemical stability. To avoid breakage and potential harm to the user, the wall thickness of the quartz glass tube must be checked. At the same time, the control of the parameters of the tubes, in particular the thickness, is usually done manually. This article presents the method and algorithm of the system for monitoring and measuring the thickness of quartz glass tubes in the process of their production based on technical vision. An important advantage of the method is the ability to measure the thickness of the tube even in the presence of possible fluctuations and vibrations during pulling, and it possible to control the difference in thickness along the tube's length. The method provides real-time operation (processing time for one tube image does not exceed 30 ms) with an accuracy of no more than 3 – 5 %.
Through the Body of the Midwife
Authors: Smith Catherine
Published: November 2023

The question of how to build trust in health care is one that faces health-care workers and public health actors around the world. This article illustrates how midwives in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, have over time generated a distinctive ethos that characterizes the culture of their practice, and that stands as the object of a substantive generalized trust in midwives. In bringing attention to the multidimensional forms of labor carried out by health-care workers in a resource-poor setting, this article shows how cultures of medicine are generated and embodied by health-care workers in ways that mediate the dynamics of trust in health care. It offers a case study of the successful cultivation of trust in health care, while also reflecting on the problematic implications of the tendency to rely heavily on the labor of health-care workers for the development of trust-based health systems. 

ABSTRAK

Bagaimana cara membangun kepercayaan terhadap layanan kesehatan merupakan masalah yang dihadapi petugas kesehatan dan profesional kesehatan masyarakat di seluruh dunia. Artikel ini menggambarkan bagaimana para bidan di Yogyakarta, Indonesia, telah membangun etos khas yang mencirikan budaya kebidanan, sehingga yang menjadi objek kepercayaan masyarakat terhadap bidan secara umum. Selain membahas pekerjaan multi-dimensi yang dilakukan oleh petugas layanan kesehatan di lingkungan dengan sumber daya yang terbatas, artikel ini menunjukkan bagaimana kebudayaan kedokteran dihasilkan dan diwujudkan oleh petugas layanan kesehatan dengan cara yang membentuk dinamika kepercayaan dalam layanan kesehatan. Artikel ini menawarkan studi kasus atas kesuksesan terwujudnya kepercayaan dalam layanan kesehatan, secara bersamaan juga memberikan refleksi terhadap implikasi bermasalah dari kecenderungan untuk sangat bergantung kepada tenaga kesehatan dalam pengembangan sistem kesehatan berbasis kepercayaan.
Who wants to be a teaching innovator?
Authors: Bridge Christopher , Loch Birgit , Horey Dell , Julien Brianna , Thompson Belinda
Published: November 2023

Innovative teaching is a common goal in Australasian university strategic documents. However, innovative teaching requires innovative teachers, yet our study of science, health and engineering staff at a Victorian university found many teaching academics did not identify as innovative, even when reflecting on their 2020-21 pandemic teaching experiences, and even though they demonstrated as much innovation at that time as their peers who did consider themselves to be innovators. This concise paper investigates reasons why teaching academics may be reticent to call themselves innovators, finding tentative support for three hypotheses: that there may be differences in how innovation is understood that are discipline-specific; that there may be social stigma associated with innovation that can be overcome via a change in organisational culture; and that some academics may associate innovation with negative connotations or experiences. We conclude with practical recommendations for building a culture of innovation in learning and teaching.