bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Home environmental interventions for prevention of respiratory tract infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Kua Kok Pim , Lee Dr. Shaun Wen Huey
Published: February 2021

Objectives

Poor housing conditions have been associated with increased risks of respiratory infections. This review aims to determine whether modifying the physical environment of the home has benefits in reducing respiratory infections.

Content

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of home environmental interventions for preventing respiratory tract infections. Ten electronic databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials published from inception to July 31, 2020. Random-effects meta-analyses were used to assess the study outcomes. Our search identified 14 eligible studies across 12 countries, which comprised 87,428 households in total. The type of interventions on home environment included kitchen appliance and design, water supply and sanitation, house insulation, and home heating. Meta-analysis indicated a potential benefit of home environmental interventions in preventing overall respiratory tract infections (Absolute RR=0.89, 95% CI=0.78–1.01, p=0.07; Pooled adjusted RR=0.72, 95% CI=0.63–0.84, p<0.0001). Subgroup analyses depicted that home environmental interventions had no significant impact on lower respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, and severe pneumonia. A protective effect against respiratory infections was observed in high income country setting (RR=0.82, 95% CI=0.78–0.87, p<0.00001).

Summary and outlook

Home environmental interventions have the potential to reduce morbidity of respiratory tract infections. The lack of significant impact from stand-alone housing interventions suggests that multicomponent interventions should be implemented in tandem with high-quality health systems.
Recent advances in the synthesis of (99mTechnetium) based radio-pharmaceuticals
Authors: Shahzad Khurram , Majid Aman Shah Abdul , Khan Mumtaz , Iqbal Muhammad Adnan , Ali Asjad
Published: February 2021

Technetium radionuclide (99mTc) has excellent extent of disintegration properties and occupies a special place in the field of nuclear medicinal chemistry and other health disciplines. Current review describes recent approaches of synthesis in detailed ways for radio-pharmaceuticals of technetium which have been developed to treat and diagnose the biotic disorders. These technetium labeled radio-pharmaceuticals have been established to apply in the field of diagnostic nuclear medicine especially for imaging of different body parts such as brain, heart, kidney, bones and so on, through single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) that is thought to be difficult to image such organs by using common X-ray and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) techniques. This review highlights and accounts an inclusive study on the various synthetic routes of technetium labeled radio-pharmaceuticals using ligands with various donor atoms such as carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, phosphorus etc. These compounds can be utilized as next generation radio-pharmaceuticals.
Biogenic synthesis of bimetallic nanoparticles and their applications
Authors: Sasireka Krishnan Sundarrajan , Lalitha Pottail
Published: February 2021

The current advancements in nanotechnology suggest a sustainable development in the green synthesis of bimetallic nanoparticles (BMNPs) through green approaches. Though challenging, nano phyto technology has versatile methods to achieve desired unique properties like optic, electronic, magnetic, therapeutic, and catalytic efficiencies. Bio-inspired, facile synthesis of bifunctional BMNPs is possible using abundant, readily available natural plant sources, bio-mass wastes and microorganisms. Synergistic effects of two different metals on mixing, bring new insight for the vast applications, which is not achievable in using monometallic NPs. By adopting bio-inspired greener approaches for synthesizing NPs, the risk of environmental toxicity caused by conventional physicochemical methods become negligible. This article hopes to provide the significance of cost-effective, one-step, eco-friendly and facile synthesis of noble/transition bimetallic NPs. This review article endows an overview of the bio-mediated synthesis of bimetallic NPs, classifications of BMNPs, current characterization techniques, possible mechanistic aspects for reducing metal ions, and the stability of formed NPs and bio-medical/industrial applications of fabricated NPs. The review also highlights the prospective future direction to improve reliability, reproducibility of biosynthesis methods, its actual mechanism in research works and extensive application of biogenic bimetallic NPs.
Current updates on various treatment approaches in the early management of acute spinal cord injury
Authors: Fiani Brian , Arshad Mohammad Arsal , Shaikh Emad Salman , Baig Aqsa , Farooqui Mudassir , Ayub Muhammed Abubakar , Zafar Atif , Quadri Syed A.
Published: February 2021

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating condition which often leads to a severe disability and ultimately impact patient’s physical, psychological, and social well-being. The management of acute SCI has evolved over the couple of decades due to improved understanding of injury mechanisms and increasing knowledge of disease. Currently, the early management of acute SCI patient includes pharmacological agents, surgical intervention and newly experimental neuroprotective strategies. However, many controversial areas are still surrounding in the current treatment strategies for acute SCI, including the optimal timing of surgical intervention, early versus delayed decompression outcome benefits, the use of methylprednisolone. Due to the lack of consensus, the optimal standard of care has been varied across treatment centres. The authors have shed a light on the current updates on early treatment approaches and neuroprotective strategies in the initial management of acute SCI in order to protect the early neurologic injury and reduce the future disability.
How Saussure is misinterpreted in Cognitive Grammar
Authors: Zhang Yanfei , Zhang Shaojie
Published: February 2021

As the father of modern linguistics, Ferdinand de Saussure influences all aspects of linguistic development with no exception of Cognitive Grammar. A scrutiny of how Saussure is understood in Cognitive Grammar indicates that Saussurean linguistics is misinterpreted in terms of five core ideas: (1) langue, rather than parole, is given highest priority; (2) the internal relation of “signifier-signified” counts as the pairing of “form-meaning”; (3) “arbitrariness” is contradictory to “symbolicity”; (4) “arbitrariness” means “unmotivatedness”; (5) arbitrariness is not the inherent nature of morphological and syntactic structures. This paper is intended to reassess these five ideas and argue that they depart further from Saussure’s thought.
Visual affect in films: a semiotic approach
Authors: Jing Yi
Published: February 2021

This study investigates affective meanings expressed in facial expressions and bodily gestures from a semiotic perspective. Particularly, the study focuses on disentangling relations of affective meanings and exploring the meaning potential of facial expressions and bodily gestures. Based on the analysis of over three hundred screenshots from two films (one animation and one live-action film), this study proposes a system of visual affect, as well as a system of visual resources involved in the expression of visual affect. The system of visual affect makes a further step in the investigation of affective meanings afforded by facial expressions and bodily gestures, and can provide methodological insights into the examination of affective meanings expressed visually. The system of visual resources provides a more meaning-motivated framework for systematic tracking of the visual resources, which may be applied to the analysis of other visual media apart from films.
Modelizing epistemologies: organizing Catholic sanctity from calendar-based martyrologies to today’s mobile apps
Authors: Ponzo Jenny , Marino Gabriele
Published: February 2021

The Catholic concept of “sanctity” can be thought of as a “cultural unit” (Eco) composed of a wide variety of “grounds” (Peirce) or distinctive features. The figures of individual saints, i.e., tokens of sanctity, are characterized by a particular set of grounds, organized and represented in texts of different genres. This paper presents a semiotic study of texts seeking to offer an encompassing view of “sanctity” by listingallthe saints and supplementing their names with a short description of their lives emphasizing the grounds characterizing each of them. The analysis focuses on a seminal liturgical text, theMartyrologium Romanun(1584–2004), and the first official encyclopedia of saints, theBibliotheca Sanctorum(1961–2013), as well as a sample of digital texts and media such as websites and mobile apps. While the first text offers a dogmatic perspective on sanctity and saintly figures and the second offers a historical and culturological one, websites succeed in reconciling the two paradigms into a single syncretic form of interactive fruition in which the more up-to-date encyclopedic model subsumes the traditional calendar one and, in the case of apps, adds aglocaldimension, enhancing situated cognition. The analysis shows that the introduction of the encyclopedic genre and subsequent proliferation of digital repertoires is connected to a shift in the Catholic “episteme” (Foucault) of sanctity and a growing tendency to consider saints as not (only) religious characters and objects of cult, but (also) as historical individuals and components of a culture and, consequently, as suitable objects of critical discourse.
Construction of risk in road safety advertising: a multimodal analysis of Vietnamese child helmet awareness advertisements
Authors: Nguyen Hoang van
Published: February 2021

The discourses of risk serve to organise the ways in which we understand and respond to potential harms and threats, which have become a major concern in our daily life. However, the discourses of risk have not been extensively investigated using linguistic text-based methods on the multimodal level, nor deeply examined beyond Western contexts. Grounded in the literature of risk and multimodal discourse, the aim of the study is to demonstrate Multimodal Discourse Analysis from a Systemic Functional Linguistics perspective as a potential methodology to investigate how risk discourses are constructed in and through semiotic resources in a non-Western setting. Through a case study of child helmet awareness advertisements in Vietnam, the multimodal analysis reveals a comprehensive picture of risk discourses constructed across various semiotic modes. In this analysis, the discourses of risk are constructed through a negotiation of expert knowledge and traditional values to encourage the audience to take actions and provide helmets for their children. Findings of the study demonstrate the use of Systemic Functional multimodal approach to media and communication to provide evidence for risk discourses in the Vietnamese setting, which are at odds with the current literature and can potentially be extended to other contexts.
Hedging in interpreted and spontaneous speeches: a comparative study of Chinese and American political press briefings
Authors: Fu Rongbo , Wang Kefei
Published: February 2021

The investigation of potential stylistic differences between translated and non-translated texts has been proven to be a promising line in corpus-based translation studies, yet similar research on the product of interpreting seems both smaller in scale and slower in development. This study compares the use of hedges in interpreted and spontaneous English speeches collected in similar settings. Specifically, we gathered the two types of speech data from Chinese and American political press briefings respectively and analyzed their differences in the employment of various hedging devices. The results show that interpreted speeches not only contain significantly fewer hedges but they are also dependent on a narrower range of such devices than spontaneous speeches, which is consistent with the tendency towards simplification in translations. Also, our findings suggest that interpreted and spontaneous speeches tend to follow distinct hedging patterns in terms of preferred linguistic choices. Potential factors triggering such differences are discussed.
Analytical solution for unsteady flow behind ionizing shock wave in a rotational axisymmetric non-ideal gas with azimuthal or axial magnetic field
Authors: Nath G.
Published: February 2021

The approximate analytical solution for the propagation of gas ionizing cylindrical blast (shock) wave in a rotational axisymmetric non-ideal gas with azimuthal or axial magnetic field is investigated. The axial and azimuthal components of fluid velocity are taken into consideration and these flow variables, magnetic field in the ambient medium are assumed to be varying according to the power laws with distance from the axis of symmetry. The shock is supposed to be strong one for the ratio

C
0

V
s

2

${\left(\frac{{C}_{0}}{{V}_{s}}\right)}^{2}$

to be a negligible small quantity, where C
0
is the sound velocity in undisturbed fluid and V

S
is the shock velocity. In the undisturbed medium the density is assumed to be constant to obtain the similarity solution. The flow variables in power series of

C
0

V
s

2

${\left(\frac{{C}_{0}}{{V}_{s}}\right)}^{2}$

are expanded to obtain the approximate analytical solutions. The first order and second order approximations to the solutions are discussed with the help of power series expansion. For the first order approximation the analytical solutions are derived. In the flow-field region behind the blast wave the distribution of the flow variables in the case of first order approximation is shown in graphs. It is observed that in the flow field region the quantity J
0 increases with an increase in the value of gas non-idealness parameter or Alfven-Mach number or rotational parameter. Hence, the non-idealness of the gas and the presence of rotation or magnetic field have decaying effect on shock wave.
Micro y pequeña empresa, actores sociales y contextos desde la perspectiva del desarrollo local
Authors: Chauca Malásquez Pablo Manuel
Published: February 2021

La importancia de la micro, pequeña y mediana empresa para la generación de empleo y para el desarrollo nacional, regional y local es reconocida en los ámbitos académico, gubernamental e internacional. La gestión del desarrollo exige considerar que existen en cualquier país diversos tipos de empresarios, diferentes formas de organización y distintos contextos. Empresarios, empresas, contextos y sus interrelaciones condicionan los procesos de desarrollo no sólo a nivel nacional sino, sobre todo, subnacional (región, estado, municipio). En esta perspectiva, en el trabajo se sistematizan referentes conceptuales y se proponen elementos para entender a la micro y pequeña empresa (Mipe), a sus directivos y sus interrelaciones con otros actores sociales (contextos) como protagonistas del proceso de desarrollo de su entorno inmediato. Se analizan los atributos esenciales de los empresarios, de las empresas como organizaciones y de los diversos contextos que favorecen la gestión del desarrollo y deriva en el mejoramiento contínuo del nivel y calidad de vida de la población local.
El Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) para la evaluación de riesgos estratégicos en microempresas comerciales hidalguenses
Authors: Pérez Castañeda Suly Sendy , Cruz Ramírez Dorie , Piedra Mayorga Víctor Manuel
Published: February 2021

El actual entorno empresarial, dinámico y altamente competitivo, ha visto numerosas debacles, motivo por el cual la gestión del riesgo ha salido a la luz, así como el desarrollo de diversos enfoques para su manejo, desde los más tradicionales con visiones individualistas y netamente cuantitativos hasta los enfoques integrales y cualitativos, como el Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), metodología propuesta en el presente trabajo para la evaluación de riesgos en microempresas ante la carencia de herramientas acordes con este sector de la economía. Los resultados muestran que éste es un procedimiento de fácil aplicación en microempresas, y permite evaluar los niveles de exposición de riesgo a partir de datos cualitativos.
Determinación de parámetros que influyen en la prevalencia de Síndrome Metabólico en adolescentes de Casas Grandes y LeBarón, Chihuahua, México
Authors: García-Carnero Laura Cristina , Gamez-Fierro Elsa Paola , Hernández-Rodríguez Pilar del Carmen , Torres-Flores Narciso , Leal-Berumen Irene , Licón-Trillo Ángel , Moreno-Brito Verónica , Alcalá-Sánchez Imelda , Conchas-Ramírez Miguel , Santiago-Antonio Concepción
Published: February 2021

La Federación Internacional de Diabetes (FID) y el Programa Nacional de Educación en Colesterol (National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP)-Adult Treatment Panel (ATP III)) han propuesto criterios para el diagnóstico de Síndrome Metabólico (SM) en adolescentes. Este trabajo determina la prevalencia de SM y su relación con otros parámetros (ácido úrico, plaquetas y tipo sanguíneo) en adolescentes de 12-16 años. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y transversal, empleando criterios de la FID, NCEP-ATPIII y criterios propuestos (CP). De la muestra conformada por 246 adolescentes, la prevalencia de SM, según la FID, fue de 3.25%, 6.5% para la NCEP-ATPIII y 21.54% con los criterios propuestos, siendo las mujeres y los menonitas los más afectados. Niveles de ácido úrico, plaquetas y el factor Rh no mostraron relación con SM, a diferencia del tipo sanguíneo. La aplicación de distintos criterios diagnósticos puede significar el no identificar adecuadamente la presencia de este síndrome.
IFN-γ, IL-4 y Helicobacter pylori en pacientes con gastritis crónica y cáncer gástrico
Authors: Mora González Alina , Villegas Román Víctor Manuel , Atrisco Morales Josefina , Martínez Carrillo Dinorah Nashely , Fernández Tilapa Gloria , Hernández Pando Rogelio , Reyes Navarrete Salomón , Betancourt Linares Reyes , Cruz del Carmen Iván , Illades Aguiar Berenice , Román Román Adolfo
Published: February 2021

La infección por Helicobacter pylori es el principal factor de riesgo para cáncer gástrico; en la respuesta inmune inducida por la bacteria existe un infiltrado de células que secretan citocinas, favoreciendo el desarrollo de la carcinogénesis gástrica. El objetivo fue evaluar la relación de la expresión de IFN- γ e IL-4 con la infección por H. pylori, gastritis crónica y cáncer gástrico. Se incluyeron 100 pacientes con gastritis crónica y 20 con cáncer gástrico; se determinó la expresión de INF- γ e IL-4 por inmunohistoquímica. El 57.5% de los casos fueron positivos de H. pylori, la mayor frecuencia de expresión de IFN-g se encontró en los casos de cáncer positivos a la bacteria, en el caso de IL-4 se encontró más frecuente en gastritis crónica H. pylori positivo. Se localizó mayor frecuencia de expresión de IFN- γ en comparación con IL-4; en la mayoría de las muestras positivas a H. pylori expresaron las dos citocinas.
Metilación de miR-218-1 en lesiones escamosas intraepiteliales de bajo grado y cáncer cervical con VPH 16
Authors: Muñiz Salgado Julio César , Barrientos Noriega Rubén , Campos Viguri Gabriela , Jiménez Wences Hilda , Martínez Carrillo Dinorah Nashely , Alarcón Romero Luz del Carmen , Illades Aguiar Berenice , Fernández Tilapa Gloria , Muñoz Camacho José Guadalupe , Jiménez López Marco Antonio , Garzón Barrientos Víctor Hugo , Peralta Zaragoza Óscar
Published: February 2021

En la presente investigación se estudian alteraciones en la expresión de algunos microRNAs (miRNAs) en la carcinogénesis cervical, las cuales parecen estar relacionados con la metilación aberrante de sus promotores. Se evaluó la frecuencia de metilación del promotor del microRNA-218-1 (miR-218-1) en lesiones escamosas intraepiteliales de bajo grado (LEIBG) y cáncer cervical (CC) con virus del papiloma humano (VPH 16). Se incluyeron 16 muestras de LEIBG y 16 de CC con VPH 16. La metilación del promotor de miR-218-1 se determinó con EpiTect® Methyl II PCR Array (QIAGEN). El promotor de miR-218-1 se encontró metilado en un 43.75% (7/16) en CC y en un 6.25% (1/16) en LEIBG (p = 0.0007). El promotor de miR-218-1 estuvo metilado en un mayor porcentaje en muestras de CC que en LEIBG. Es posible que la metilación del promotor de miR-218-1 sea un mecanismo epigenético implicado en su expresión aberrante en CC.
Impacto de la política nacional de activación física sobre la reducción del sobrepeso/obesidad en escolares
Authors: Melchor Moreno Ma. Teresa , Polo Campos Hernán
Published: February 2021

La prevalencia de sobrepeso/obesidad en México hasta el 2006 era del 26% en niños de 5 a 11 años para ambos sexos, y en uno de cada tres adolescentes. El objetivo de esta investigación fue evidenciar el nivel de actividad física (NAF), el sobrepeso/obesidad, factores socioambientales y actitud de los niños y adolescentes ante las políticas de la secretarías de Salud y Educación. Se evaluaron a 234 niños (117 niñas y 117 niños de 10 a 12 años). Se midió el NAF a través del cuestionario, la actitud ante la actividad física, factores ambientales inter y extraescolar. El 36% presentó riesgo de sobrepeso/obesidad, dos terceras partes fueron mujeres. En general, los niños con actitud de acción presentaron peso normal con un Índice de Masa Corporal (IMC) de 20.6 ± 2.8 g. La mayor influencia en la transición de la etapa de contemplación a la acción se dio por el medio ambiente social y familiar seguido del escolar.
Metilación gen específica en el DNA de trabajadores de la ciudad de León, Guanajuato, México, expuestos a compuestos orgánicos volátiles
Authors: Jiménez-Garza Octavio , Baccarelli Andrea A.
Published: February 2021

Existen pocos reportes acerca de efectos epigenéticos derivados de la exposición laboral a un solo Compuesto Orgánico Volátil (COV). Tal efecto no se ha investigado en la exposición a mezclas de éstos. El objetivo fue determinar los niveles de metilación gen específica en personas expuestas ocupacionalmente a mezclas de COV. Los métodos fueron incluir a trabajadores de diferentes industrias (expuestos a COV), así como a un grupo control. Se midieron los niveles de exposición individuales a COV. Se tomaron muestras sanguíneas y se extrajo el Ácido Desoxirribonucleico (DNA, por sus siglas en inglés) para determinar, por pirosecuenciación-PCR, los niveles de metilación en 13 genes diferentes. Como resultados se encontró hipermetilación para los genes TNFα, SOD1 y TOP2A en un subgrupo expuesto. En otro subgrupo se observó hipermetilación para el gen IL6. Se pudo concluir que la exposición ocupacional a mezclas de COV tiene efectos importantes en el estado de metilación de genes involucrados con la inflamación, la reparación al DNA y el estrés oxidativo.
Diferencias en la calidad de vida por trimestre del embarazo en un grupo de adolescentes argentinas
Authors: Estrada-Mendiola Rosa Beatriz , Reynaga-Ornelas Luxana , Jiménez-Garza Octavio Alejandro , Dávalos-Pérez Adriana , Rodríguez-Lugo Susana
Published: February 2021

Durante el embarazo, los cambios orgánicos pueden alterar la percepción de la calidad de vida (CV) de la adolescente. En este trabajo se determinaron las diferencias en la CV por trimestre del embarazo en adolescentes argentinas mediante un estudio comparativo trasversal. La CV se determinó con el cuestionario SF-36 y el análisis de resultados mediante Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) versión 21. Cincuenta y seis adolescentes de 18 ± 2 años reportaron su CV en escala de 0-100 (a mayor puntaje, mejor CV percibida), resultando un promedio de 37.7 ± 8.4 en la puntuación del componente físico (PCF) y de 44.1 ± 12.2 en la puntuación del componente mental (PCM). Se encontraron diferencias en el PCF comparando los grupos del primer y tercer trimestres (43.7 ±  10 vs. 33.8 ± 6; p < 0.01) y los grupos del segundo y tercer trimestres (39.7 ± 8 vs. 33.8 ± 6; p < 0.01). Las adolescentes reportaron una menor CV en el PCF (mayor limitación física y dolor corporal) a medida que progresa la gestación.
Características de la dieta y consumo de AGE en mujeres embarazadas de distinto nivel socioeconómico
Authors: González Zavala Gabriela Lizette , Reynaga Ornelas Ma. Guadalupe , Garay Sevilla Ma. Eugenia , Quintanilla García Claudia
Published: February 2021

Los AGE (productos finales de glucosilación avanzada) se forman endógenamente y también durante la cocción de alimentos a altas temperaturas y poca humedad. Su consumo está relacionado con enfermedades crónico-degenerativas. Este estudio analiza características de la dieta y el consumo de AGE en mujeres embarazadas de distinto nivel socioeconómico. Se estudiaron a 86 mujeres embarazadas divididas en grupo A (nivel socioeconómico medio-alto) y grupo B (nivel medio y bajo). Se aplicó un registro de alimentos de tres días para obtener información sobre consumo de energía, macronutrimentos, AGE y características de dieta correcta. El grupo A reportó un consumo mayor de AGE (p = 0.008). Se encontró un consumo excesivo de energía (sin significancia). El grupo A presenta una dieta más completa; en ambos grupos la dieta es variada, pero sin equilibrio. Existe una asociación entre el consumo de AGE y el nivel socioeconómico. Es necesario realizar más estudios.
Efecto genotóxico y citotóxico de la exposición a metales pesados (cromo [VI] y talio [I]) en ratones de la cepa CD-1: micronúcleos, apoptosis y viabilidad celular
Authors: García-Rodríguez M. C. , García-Cárdenas G. P. , Montaño-Rodríguez A. R. , Altamirano-Lozano M. A.
Published: February 2021

Se evaluó la genotoxicidad y la citotoxicidad en sangre periférica de ratones CD-1 expuestos a metales pesados: cromo y talio (Cr [VI] y Tl [I]). Grupos de cinco organismos fueron tratados por vía intraperitoneal con 20 mg/kg de CrO3 o con 30 mg/kg de Tl2SO4. El daño genotóxico se determinó mediante la cinética de la inducción de micronúcleos (MN) y de apoptosis, mientras que la citotoxicidad con la relación entre eritrocitos policromáticos/normocromáticos (EPC/ENC) y la viabilidad celular. Las evaluaciones se realizaron a las 0 h, 24 h, 48 h y 72 h después de los tratamientos. Los resultados mostraron un incremento significativo de MN, células apoptóticas y no-viables con ambos tratamientos. Particularmente, se presentó toxicidad celular y generalizada en los ratones expuestos al Tl2SO4. Con base en estos resultados, se sugiere que la exposición de las poblaciones humanas a compuestos metálicos, como los de Cr (VI) y Tl (I), puede representar un riesgo genético y citotóxico.
Using Unplugged Computational Thinking to Scaffold Natural Selection Learning
Authors: Peel Amanda , Sadler Troy D. , Friedrichsen Patricia
Published: February 2021

Computational thinking (CT) is a thought process composed of computer science ideas and skills that can be applied to solve problems and better understand the world around us. With the increase in technology and computing, STEM disciplines are becoming interwoven with computing. In order to better prepare students for STEM careers, computational literacy needs to be developed in K–12 education. We advocate the introduction of computational literacy through the incorporation of CT in core science courses, such as biology. Additionally, at least some of this integration should be unplugged, or without computers, so that all schools can participate in developing computational literacy. These lessons integrate unplugged CT and science content to help students develop CT competencies and learn natural selection content simultaneously through a series of lessons in which unplugged CT is leveraged for natural selection learning within varying contexts. In these lessons, students engage in the creation of handwritten algorithmic explanations of natural selection. Students build CT skills while making sense of the process, resulting in converged learning about CT and science. This article presents a description of CT, the specifics of the classroom implementation and lessons, student work and outcomes, and conclusions drawn from this work.
Biomimicry outside the Classroom
Authors: Eagle-Malone Rebecca S.
Published: February 2021

Biomimicry, the process of using nature to guide innovative thinking and development, can be useful in helping students grasp scientific concepts. Teachers interested in incorporating biomimicry into lesson plans might find that experiential learning at informal science institutions (ISIs) with natural models and artifacts is a valuable tool to accompany classroom learning. Visiting these ISIs, students have the opportunity to observe nature in real time and be immersed in inspiration. As students explore these natural models in habitats and exhibits, educators might ask students to consider the interesting features they observe and to creatively consider innovative designs that these features could inspire. For example, an elephant’s trunk might inspire a robotic arm. These direct experiences at ISIs might draw upon students’ innate biophilia to learn more about living organisms and lead to increased creativity and design output. I developed this guide based on my experiences as an informal biomimicry educator and my 2017 keynote address presented at the Annual Docent Conference at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.
Developing & Testing Curricula for Teaching Evolutionary Concepts at the Elementary School Level
Authors: Grether Gregory F.
Published: February 2021

Evolution by natural selection is key to understanding life and of considerable practical importance in public health, medicine, biotechnology, and agriculture. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) include natural selection among several evolutionary concepts that all third-graders should know. This article explores a novel approach to developing and testing curricula for teaching natural selection and related concepts to children. College students developed lesson plans with specific evolutionary learning objectives based on the NGSS and taught them at elementary schools. Learning was assessed with a pre/post-test design, and a subset of students was retested after two years. After just two hours of instruction and active-learning activities, students of all three grade levels tested (grades 3–5) demonstrated substantial improvement in their understanding of evolutionary concepts. Students who were retested in grade 5 scored higher than fifth-graders who had not participated previously. The most challenging concepts for all grade levels were common ancestry and natural selection, but fifth-graders showed more improvement than third- and fourth-graders. If this finding is substantiated by further research, an adjustment to the NGSS schedule might be warranted. Spacing evolutionary biology concepts out might be a better strategy than concentrating them all in grade 3.
CRUSHING CHARACTER OF SAND-SODIUM-SILICATE MIXTURES STRUCTURED BY STEAM-MICROWAVE TREATMENT
Authors:   Odessa National Polytechnic University, Solonenko L. , Repiakh S. ,   National Metallurgical Academy of Ukraine, Uzlov K. ,   National Metallurgical Academy of Ukraine, Kimstach T. ,   National Metallurgical Academy of Ukraine
Published: February 2021

At the present, from among the known methods of sand-sodium-silicate mixtures structuring, the least studied, but the most promising, is the method of steam-microwave solidification. Among unexplored elements of steam-microwave solidification method is nature of mixtures destruction. This is especially important for determining the ways to increase the sand-sodium-silicate casting molds and cores strength before pouring and lowering their strength by the time when casting should be knocked out the mold and the core from cast product. Knowledge about mixture destruction nature is also necessary for appropriate technical solutions elaboration concerning sand regeneration. In this regard, the purpose of the present work has to be nature of sand-sodium-silicate mixtures structured by steam-microwave solidification method destruction establishing. Quartz sand cladded with sodium-silicate solute has been used in the present investigation. Mixture (cladded sand) structuring has been carried out by microwave radiation at nominal magnetron power of 700 W and radiation frequency of 2.45 GHz in area of standing waves. To cladded sand structuring, 1 g water portion has been added, which has been placed in bottom of container in which mixture has been microwave treated. To make decision on mixture destruction nature, images of structured mixtures destruction places within one grain (sand grain), which are typical for adhesive and cohesive character of destruction, obtained with scanning electron microscope have been used. It has been found that with sodium-silicate solute for quartz sand cladding mass content from 0.5 to 6 % (by weight) increasing, as well as with mixture processing by the method of steam-microwave solidification duration increasing, mixture compression ultimate strength increases according to dependence closed to exponential. Character of structured mixture destruction, in this case, is not depend on sodium-silicate solute used for quartz sand cladding content, but depends on steam-microwave solidification duration. With its time increasing it changes from adhesive to mix or from adhesive to mixed and cohesive.
DIAGNOSTICS OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PRODUCTS ON SEVERAL GROUNDS
Authors:   Donbass State Engineering Academy, Kovalevskyy S. , Kovalevska O. ,   Donbass State Engineering Academy, Postavnichyi A. ,   Donbass State Engineering Academy
Published: February 2021

The article considers methods of non-destructive testing based on various physical laws and phenomena. The possibility of creating a new topical tool for obtaining a wide range of data of mechanical engineering products such as shape, size and location in space is considered. It is proposed to use sound diagnostics using a high-frequency broadband signal to capture the frequency characteristics of the object. The purpose of the study is to develop a method of non-contact measurement of mechanical engineering products on several grounds. With the help of vibroacoustic diagnostics and the method of quantitative control, the distribution of the entire volume of products was 100 pieces. on two parties: the main and control, quantitative parameters of each unit of a product are removed. A signal from 0 to 20,000 Hz was applied by means of a frequency generator. The frequency response of each sample was recorded in the Spectrum Analiyser program. Estimation of the deviation of the product size and its frequency spectrum was performed in the NeuroPro 0.25 software. The created neural network allows is predicted in real time values of several quantitative signs irrespective of their nature. A working model for collecting statistical data for the efficient operation of the neural network is obtained. The developed technique allows detecting the configuration of products on the basis of indirect measurements through the frequency spectrum. This technique can be used to diagnose parts by geometric features, physical properties, defects. This requires an increase in input data for neural network training. With a sufficient selection of parts with different defects of the neural network on the acoustic frequency characteristics will be able to divide the parts into groups of worthy and unworthy on various grounds.
MAGNETIC RESONANCE PROCESSING OF MATERIALS
Authors:   Donbass State Engineering Academy, Kovalevskyy S. , Kovalevska O. ,   Donbass State Engineering Academy
Published: February 2021

Acoustic devices for determining the elasticity modulus based on the measurement of the samples frequency resonant oscillation due to the sample exposure to acoustic waves with consistently changed frequencies. Objective: Development of an algorithm for increasing the hardness of materials due to magnetic resonance imaging. Materials and methods: The paper shows the possibility of using as a uniform flux to influence the volume of thematerial of the magnetic field formed by powerful permanent magnets. The process of influencing the volume of material of the experimental samples was that the effect of a uniform magnetic flux permeating the sample is initiated in a result of resonant oscillations of the sample caused by broadband exposure of equal amplitude using a “white noise” generator and a piezoelectric emitter. Results: Treatment of samples of materials placed in a uniform magnetic field, resonant polyfrequency vibrations with nanoscale amplitude in the range of 20...80 nm, allows you to change the viscosity of the material, the modulus of elasticity of the material and the hardness of material samples to improve the performance of these materials . Conclusions: Nanoscale amplitudes of natural oscillations of objects of complex shape in energy fields, which include uniform magnetic fields, can correct the physical and mechanical properties of materials of such objects in order to achieve their identity or add strictly defined properties.
ASSESSMENT OF THE RELIABILITY OF THE NPP LIQUID RADIOACTIVE WASTE CONCENTRATION SYSTEM
Authors:   Odessa National Polytechnic University, Kovalchuk V. , Kozlov I. ,   Odessa National Polytechnic University, Dorozh O. ,   Odessa National Polytechnic University, Siedova O. ,   Odessa National Polytechnic University
Published: February 2021

The calculation of the reliability indicators of the system for the concentration of liquid radioactive waste at a nuclear power plant. The special wastewater treatment (NWT-3) of units with VVER reactors was adopted as a basic scheme. The aim of the work is to estimate the reliability of NWT -3 as a technological system. The goal is achieved by transforming the technological scheme of the system into a structural one and determining the quantitative values of the parameter of the flow of failures, the duration and probability of failure-free operation. A structural model of the system was built taking into account redundancy and suspended elements. The characteristic ways of connecting elements in the system are considered: sequential, one- and two-fold permanent redundancy, under the same loading conditions of the main and reserve elements and performing the same functions. Data on the parameters of the failure flow of the equipment that makes up the technological scheme are borrowed from reference sources. Communication means present in the diagram (valves, flanges, pipelines, etc.) are taken into account as connected serial elements of the main equipment. The probabilities of failure-free operation of equipment are calculated and the most problematic ones are identified: pumps, evaporators and heat exchangers. The probabilities of failure-free operation of the system as a whole are determined for a number of specified intervals of operation as the corresponding products of the probability of failure-free operation of the elements that make up the system. It is shown that if the parameter of the flow of failures remains unchanged, the probability of failure-free operation of the system, ensuring its effective functioning, will remain within one year of operation. The results obtained allow predicting the intervals of operational and recovery measures, highlighting the most problematic elements of the system.
JUSTIFICATION OF POSSIBILITY OF UKRANIAN NPP’S EXPLOITATION TIME ASSESSMENT BY EXPERT METHODS
Authors:   Odessa National Polytechnic University, Chulkin O. , Kravchenko V. ,   Odessa National Polytechnic University, Pavlyshin P. ,   Rivnenska AES, Zotyeyev V. ,   Odessa National Polytechnic University, Zotyeyev O. ,   Odessa National Polytechnic University
Published: February 2021

The goal of research is the study of problems, which are connected with Ukrainian NPPs life cycle. Particular attention in the study of the problem of the resource of complex objects, such as nuclear power plants, must be paid to the set of technical characteristics of equipment and pipelines that determine the possibility of their operation, and the resource of operation. From an organizational point of view, the assessment of the resource characteristics of complex objects takes place based on a systematic approach to interacting, highly reliable, unique equipment with limited operational information, which has a significant distinction. Therefore, models have been built for expert evaluation of the resource characteristics of complex objects, involving the use of subject area to study the dynamics of changes in the resource of equipment for critical systems. In particular, in nuclear industry, there is the problem of assessing the real level of the resource of complex objects that are exposed during operation to the effects of aging, fatigue, wear and degradation. The influence of the human factor on their longevity should also be considered.Up to date, a large number of Ukrainian NPP’s nuclear blocks are on the verge of exhaustion of the assigned resource, which is equal to 30 years of operation. However, the practice of operation shows that nuclear power units, generally, still have a sufficient resource reserve. Thus, the operating organizations face with the problem of deciding either to extend the life of the equipment of the NPP, or to replace it. This decision should be fully justified by the safety requirements of nuclear power plants, as well as economically. The basis for such a decision should be the assessment and prediction of the real condition of the equipment, its resource characteristics, satisfying scientifically based requirements. Therefore, a systematic study of the resource characteristics of the components of nuclear power units, the identification of problems and deficiencies in the field of the quality of assessment and forecasting of these characteristics is relevant. In this paper, problems, which are connected with justification of possibility of Ukrainian NPP’s exploitation time assessment by expert methods, were considered
DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH OF THROTTLE-REGULATING VALVES WITH INCREASED EROSION RESISTANCE
Authors:   Odessa National Polytechnic University, Koroliov O. , Pavlyshyn P. ,   Rivnenska AES
Published: February 2021

The reliability and trouble-free operation of nuclear power plants is due to the reliability of the pipeline systems connecting the main and auxiliary equipment. The main elements of such systems are power valves, the reliable operation of which largely determines the reliability of the NPP as a whole. At the same time, one of the problems that reduce the service life of the reinforcement is the erosive wear of its main elements. The article is devoted to the development and experimental research of reinforcement with increased resistance to erosion wear. The problems associated with the operation of valves and the relevance of the raised problem are shown. It should be noted that the study of such a valve is performed for the first time. A feature of the valve design is that the medium, passing through the regulator, does not leave the valve, but enters the porous filling, where the flow rate and associated noise are effectively damped. The article presents an experimental design of such a valve and describes an experimental stand for its research, gives a description of research methods. To study the flow in the porous layer, 12 sensors were used, inserted into the layer. Fractional polyethylene was used as a porous backfill, therefore the experiment was carried out at low pressures and normal temperatures. As a result of the experiment, the pressure distribution in the porous layer was obtained depending on the degree of valve opening and the increase in flow through it. Nonlinear dependences are obtained at average flow rates and linear at maximum and minimum flow rates. It has been established that in such reinforcement the section with a high velocity of the medium will be in a porous backfill. The study of the hydraulic characteristic showed that this characteristic has near linear character, similar for flows in porous media.
PREDICTIVE CONTROL METHODS IN TASKS OF SEARCHING SADDLE POINTS
Authors:   Odessa National Polytechnic University, Smorodin А.
Published: February 2021

The article presents new methods for searching critical points of a function of several variables, including saddle points. Such problems are found in various fields of theoretical and practical science, for example, saddle-point construction lens design, machine and deep learning, problems of convex optimization and nonlinear programming (necessary and sufficient conditions for the solution are formulated using saddle points of the Lagrange function and proved in the Kuhn-Tucker theorem. When training neural networks, it is necessary to repeat the training process on large clusters and check the network's trainability at different loss functions and different network depth. Which means that thousands of new calculations are run, where each time the loss function is optimized on large amounts of data. So any acceleration in the process of finding critical points is a major advantage and saves computing resources. Many modern methods of searching saddle points are based on calculating the Hessian matrix, inverting this matrix, the scalar product of the gradient vector and the current vector, finding the full Lagrangian, etc. However, all these operations are computationally “expensive” and it would make sense to bypass such complex calculations. The idea of modifying the standard gradient methods used in the article is to apply fixed-point search schemes for nonlinear discrete dynamical systems for gradient descent problems. It is assumed that these fixed points correspond to unstable equilibrium positions, and there are large units among the multipliers of each equilibrium position. The averaged predictive control methods are used. Results of numerical modeling and visualization are presented in the form of two tables, which indicate basins of attraction for each critical point in each scheme, and statistical data by the convergence rates.
AUTOMATION OF SEARCHING FOR TERMS IN THE EXPLANATORY DICTIONARY
Authors:   Odessa National Polytechnic University, Kungurtsev O. , Novikova N. ,   Odessa National Maritime University, Kozhushan M. ,   Odessa National Polytechnic University
Published: February 2021

In this paper, an approach for automating the search for interpretations of terms for a specific domain in explanatory dictionary and on the Internet is proposed. A mathematical model of the explanatory dictionary is developed. It bases on the structure of the dictionary entry. The methodology for setting up an analyzer of a dictionary entry in a dictionary that has not been used before is developed. A methodology for automated search for one-word and multiword terms in electronic dictionaries has been developed. It bases on scanning dictionary entries in search for term using Regular Expressions. The automation of searching on the Internet resource using a browser automation tool Selenium is proposed. Automated analysis of search results in according to subject area have been developed in two methods. If there is a stylistic label in the structure of a dictionary entry, which indicates the area of the polysemantic term using, the results are corrected by filtering out definitions that do not correspond to this subject area. If there is no stylistic label, the search results are filtering out in the way of screening out definitions for occurrence of search terms. The creation of Dictionary bank for storing set-up to search electronic dictionaries is proposed. The program product, which allows search organizing in added and built-in electronic dictionaries and on the Internet resource, was developed. Using the program requires involvement of an expert to correct and verify the results. Working with the program requires the involvement of an expert to correct and verify the results. The effectiveness of the approach is confirmed experimentally. Groups of English, Russian and Ukrainian terms from different subject areas were used in the experiments. Formulas to determine the time spent on searching are proposed to assess the effectiveness of the implementation of the developed methods. The results showed a reduce of the time spent on search in the automated mode in about 5 times compared to the manual one. It is shown that adding an explanatory dictionary of a specialized subject area gives the most certain definition of terms in search process.