bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self-care knowledge, attitude and associated factors among outpatients with diabetes mellitus in Arsi Zone, Southeast Ethiopia
Authors: Kassa Rahel Nega , Hailemariam Hana Abera , Habte Mekdes Hailegebreal , Gebresillassie Altayework Mekonnen
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic illness that requires continuing medical care and ongoing patient self-management, education and support to prevent acute complications and to reduce the risk of long-term complications. Therefore, this study aims to assess the self-care knowledge, attitude and associated factors among outpatients with diabetes mellitus in Arsi Zone, Southeast Ethiopia.

Materials and methods

A cross sectional study was employed in Arsi Zone, Southeast Ethiopia from April to June 2017 among 290 patients with diabetes mellitus. Structured questionnaire was employed through face to face interview. Bivariate and multivariate regression was done and a statistical significance was declared at p value < 0.05.

Results

Among 290 respondents, 64.8% and 27.6% of them had good knowledge and good attitude towards self-care in this study respectively. Being married (AOR: 3.41, 95% CI: 1.480–8.095), being employed in occupation (AOR: 5.8, 95% CI: 2.26–14.67) and living in higher socioeconomic status (AOR: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.096–3.322) are the independent factors associated to good knowledge of respondents towards self-care whereas living in lower socioeconomic status(AOR: 0.478, 95% CI: 0.262–0.874), having informal education (AOR: 4.002, 95% CI: 1.941–8.254), not having family history of diabetes mellitus (AOR: 0.422, 95% CI: 0.222–0.803) and having short duration of diagnosis (AOR: 3.209, 95% CI: 1.537–6.779) were significantly associated factors to have poor attitude towards self-care.

Conclusion

Majority of the study participants had good knowledge towards diabetes self-care practice while a significant number of the participants had unfavorable attitude towards diabetes self-care. Being married, being employed and living in higher socioeconomic status were the determinant factors of knowledge towards the diabetes self-care practice while having informal education and having short duration of diagnosis were the significant factors associated to the unfavorable attitude towards diabetes self-care practice. Therefore, efforts should be made on enhancing patients’ socioeconomic status and equipping with diabetic self-care centered health information particularly for those patients with short duration of diagnosis.
Positive and negative mood states do not influence cross-modal auditory distraction in the serial-recall paradigm
Authors: Kaiser Saskia , Buchner Axel , Bell Raoul
Published: December 2021

The aim of this study was to examine whether positive and negative mood states affect auditory distraction in a serial-recall task. The duplex-mechanism account differentiates two types of auditory distraction. The changing-state effect is postulated to be rooted in interference-by-process and to be automatic. The auditory-deviant effect is attributed to attentional capture by the deviant distractors. Only the auditory-deviant effect, but not the changing-state effect, should be influenced by emotional mood states according to the duplex-mechanism account. Four experiments were conducted to test how auditory distraction is affected by emotional mood states. Mood was induced by autobiographical recall (Experiments 1 and 2) or the presentation of emotional pictures (Experiments 3 and 4). Even though the manipulations were successful in inducing changes in mood, neither positive mood (Experiments 1 and 3) nor negative mood (Experiments 2 and 4) had any effect on distraction despite large samples sizes (N = 851 in total). The results thus are not in line with the hypothesis that auditory distraction is affected by changes in mood state. The results support an automatic-capture account according to which the auditory-deviant effect and the changing-state effect are mainly stimulus-driven effects that are rooted in the automatic processing of the to-be-ignored auditory stream.
Bioactive triterpenoids from Solanum torvum fruits with antifungal, resistance modulatory and anti-biofilm formation activities against fluconazole-resistant candida albicans strains
Authors: Harley Benjamin Kingsley , Neglo David , Tawiah Philip , Pipim Mercy Adansi , Mireku-Gyimah Nana Ama , Tettey Clement Okraku , Amengor Cedric Dzidzor , Fleischer Theophilus Christian , Waikhom Sayanika Devi
Published: December 2021

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is the second most common vaginal infection that affects women of reproductive age. Its increased occurrence and associated treatment cost coupled to the rise in resistance of the causative pathogen to current antifungal therapies has necessitated the need for the discovery and development of novel effective antifungal agents for the treatment of the disease. We report in this study the anti-Candida albicans activity of Solanum torvum 70% ethanol fruit extract (STF), fractions and some isolated compounds against four (4) fluconazole-resistant strains of C. albicans. We further report on the effect of the isolated compounds on the antifungal activity of fluconazole and voriconazole in the resistant isolates as well as their inhibitory effect on C. albicans biofilm formation. STF was fractionated using n-hexane, chloroform (CHCl3) and ethyl acetate (EtOAc) to obtain four respective major fractions, which were then evaluated for anti-C. albicans activity using the microbroth dilution method. The whole extract and fractions recorded MICs that ranged from 0.25 to 16.00 mg/mL. From the most active fraction, STF- CHCl3 (MIC = 0.25–1.00 mg/mL), four (4) known compounds were isolated as Betulinic acid, 3-oxo-friedelan-20α-oic acid, Sitosterol-3-β-D-glucopyranoside and Oleanolic acid. The compounds demonstrated considerably higher antifungal activity (0.016 to 0.512 mg/mL) than the extract and fractions and caused a concentration-dependent anti-biofilm formation activity. They also increased the sensitivity of the C. albicans isolates to fluconazole. This is the first report of 3-oxo-friedelan-20α-oic acid in the plant as well as the first report of betulinic acid, sitosterol-3-β-D-glucopyranoside and oleanolic acid from the fruits of S. torvum. The present study has demonstrated the anti-C. albicans activity of the constituents of S. torvum ethanol fruit extract and also shown that the constituents possess anti-biofilm formation and resistance modulatory activities against fluconazole-resistant clinical C. albicans isolates.
14-3-3 proteins promote synaptic localization of N-methyl d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) in mouse hippocampal and cortical neurons
Authors: Lee Gloria S. , Zhang Jiajing , Wu Yuying , Zhou Yi
Published: December 2021

One of the core pathogenic mechanisms for schizophrenia is believed to be dysfunction in glutamatergic synaptic transmissions, particularly hypofunction of N-methyl d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). Previously we showed that 14-3-3 functional knockout mice exhibit schizophrenia-associated behaviors accompanied by reduced synaptic NMDARs in forebrain excitatory neurons. To investigate how 14-3-3 proteins regulate synaptic localization of NMDARs, here we examined changes in levels of synaptic NMDARs upon 14-3-3 inhibition in primary neurons. Expression of 14-3-3 protein inhibitor (difopein) in primary glutamatergic cortical and hippocampal neurons resulted in lower number of synaptic puncta containing NMDARs, including the GluN1, GluN2A, or GluN2B subunits. In heterologous cells, 14-3-3 proteins enhanced surface expression of these NMDAR subunits. Furthermore, we identified that 14-3-3ζ and ε isoforms interact with NMDARs via binding to GluN2A and GluN2B subunits. Taken together, our results demonstrate that 14-3-3 proteins play a critical role in NMDAR synaptic trafficking by promoting surface delivery of NMDAR subunits GluN1, GluN2A, and GluN2B. As NMDAR hypofunctionality is known to act as a convergence point for progression of symptoms of schizophrenia, further studies on these signaling pathways may help understand how dysfunction of 14-3-3 proteins can cause NMDAR hypofunctionality and lead to schizophrenia-associated behaviors.
The association of cultural and contextual factors with social contact avoidance during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Messner Wolfgang
Published: December 2021

As a first line of defense to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, people reduced social contacts to avoid pathogen exposure. Using a panel of countries, this research suggests that this was amplified in societies characterized by high social support and future orientation. People reacted more strongly in dense environments; government orders had more effect in high power distance societies. Conversely, a focus on accomplishments was associated with lower changes. Understanding people’s actual behaviors in response to health threats across societies is of great importance for epidemiology, public health, international business, and for the functioning of humanity as a whole.
Structural validity and reliability of the patient experience measure: A new approach to assessing psychosocial experience of upper limb prosthesis users
Authors: Resnik Linda J. , Borgia Mathew L. , Clark Melissa A. , Graczyk Emily , Segil Jacob , Ni Pengsheng
Published: December 2021

Recent advances in upper limb prosthetics include sensory restoration techniques and osseointegration technology that introduce additional risks, higher costs, and longer periods of rehabilitation. To inform regulatory and clinical decision making, validated patient reported outcome measures are required to understand the relative benefits of these interventions. The Patient Experience Measure (PEM) was developed to quantify psychosocial outcomes for research studies on sensory-enabled upper limb prostheses. While the PEM was responsive to changes in prosthesis experience in prior studies, its psychometric properties had not been assessed. Here, the PEM was examined for structural validity and reliability across a large sample of people with upper limb loss (n = 677). The PEM was modified and tested in three phases: initial refinement and cognitive testing, pilot testing, and field testing. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to discover the underlying factor structure of the PEM items and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) verified the structure. Rasch partial credit modeling evaluated monotonicity, fit, and magnitude of differential item functioning by age, sex, and prosthesis use for all scales. EFA resulted in a seven-factor solution that was reduced to the following six scales after CFA: social interaction, self-efficacy, embodiment, intuitiveness, wellbeing, and self-consciousness. After removal of two items during Rasch analyses, the overall model fit was acceptable (CFI = 0.973, TLI = 0.979, RMSEA = 0.038). The social interaction, self-efficacy and embodiment scales had strong person reliability (0.81, 0.80 and 0.77), Cronbach’s alpha (0.90, 0.80 and 0.71), and intraclass correlation coefficients (0.82, 0.85 and 0.74), respectively. The large sample size and use of contemporary measurement methods enabled identification of unidimensional constructs, differential item functioning by participant characteristics, and the rank ordering of the difficulty of each item in the scales. The PEM enables quantification of critical psychosocial impacts of advanced prosthetic technologies and provides a rigorous foundation for future studies of clinical and prosthetic interventions.
Enhanced location tracking in sensor fusion-assisted virtual reality micro-manipulation environments
Authors: Prieto Prada John David , Im Jintaek , Oh Hyondong , Song Cheol
Published: December 2021

Virtual reality (VR) technology plays a significant role in many biomedical applications. These VR scenarios increase the valuable experience of tasks requiring great accuracy with human subjects. Unfortunately, commercial VR controllers have large positioning errors in a micro-manipulation task. Here, we propose a VR-based framework along with a sensor fusion algorithm to improve the microposition tracking performance of a microsurgical tool. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first application of Kalman filter in a millimeter scale VR environment, by using the position data between the VR controller and an inertial measuring device. This study builds and tests two cases: (1) without sensor fusion tracking and (2) location tracking with active sensor fusion. The static and dynamic experiments demonstrate that the Kalman filter can provide greater precision during micro-manipulation in small scale VR scenarios.
Diversity of gastrointestinal parasites in sympatric mammals in Moukalaba-Doudou National Park, Gabon
Authors: Dibakou Serge-Ely , Maloueki Ulrich , Ngoubangoye Barthélémy , Boundenga Larson , Ntie Stephan , Tsoumbou Thierry-Audrey , Moussadji Cyr , Zang Rina Obame , Kombila Dikenane , Basset Didier
Published: December 2021

Background and Aim: Gastrointestinal parasites identified in the wild can negatively affect host fitness, lower performance, and growth. On the other side, sympatric mammals that share habitat and resources may also cross-transmit parasites, which are often zoonotic and can contribute to morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to characterize the diversity of gastrointestinal parasites circulating in mammalian hosts in Moukalaba-Doudou National Park.

Materials and Methods: We screened a total of 25 fecal samples collected from nine wild mammalian species, namely, western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla), chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), putty-nosed monkey (Cercopithecus nictitans), African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), blue duiker (Philantomba monticola), bay duiker (Cephalophus dorsalis), and red river hog (Potamochoerus porcus) as well as people working as trackers (Homo sapiens) using direct microscopic observations following a sedimentation technique to concentrate the fecal material.

Results: Of the total 25 fecal samples screened, 15 (60%) were positive for parasitic gastrointestinal infection. Based on the morphology of parasite eggs and cysts, we identified a rich diversity of nematodes, protozoans, trematodes, and cestodes, including unidentified strongyles (73%), Oesophagostomum spp. (53%), Ancylostoma spp. (27%), Trichuris spp. (13%), Ascaris spp. (13%), Mammomonogamus spp. (13%), Strongyloides spp. (47%), Balantidium coli (20%), Entamoeba coli (20%), Endolimax nana (6%), Fasciola hepatica (6%), Paramphistomum spp. (13%), and Taenia spp. (6%).

Conclusion: All parasites were found at least once in one of the hosts, and most were potentially zoonotic and responsible for several diseases of public health concern. Because of the small sample size, our findings should not be considered conclusive. Nevertheless, they highlight the diversity of gastrointestinal parasites in this area.
Establishment of semen collection technique using electroejaculator and semen cryopreservation of Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas Cuvier, 1809)
Authors: Mulia Bongot Huaso , Widianti Ardyta , Manansang Jansen , Setiadi Dedi Rahmat , Yoelinda Vincentia Trisna , Nugraha Taufiq Purna , Karja Ni Wayan Kurniani , Arifiantini Raden Iis
Published: December 2021

Background and Aim: The Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas Cuvier, 1809) is a subspecies of Panthera pardus spp., spread across the African and Asian regions. Information on reproductive aspects is crucial for wild animals, including the Javan leopard. In this study, we aimed to develop electroejaculator (EE) techniques and evaluate cryopreservation success in Javan leopard semen. Materials and Methods: The semen of four adult Javan leopards was collected once a week using EE. Placement of the EE probe in the rectum was performed after ultrasound imaging (ultrasonography) to determine the prostate body location. The semen obtained was then evaluated macroscopically and microscopically. Three Javan leopards were used for cryopreservation. The ejaculate was divided into two parts [i.e., one part diluted with AndroMed® (Minitüb, Tiefenbach, Germany) and the other part with Steridyl® (Minitüb, Tiefenbach, Germany)] at a 1:1 ratio immediately after collection and evaluation. The semen was then packed in a 0.25 mL MiniStraw® (Minitüb, Tiefenbach, Germany) then equilibrated at 4°C for 2 h. After equilibration, the straw was then frozen in liquid nitrogen vapor. Frozen semen was then stored in containers until further evaluation. Results: The results showed that ejaculation response occurred at all levels of stimulation, while erections did not always occur. The fastest ejaculation and erection occurred at the fourth voltage. The macroscopic evaluation showed that the semen volume was 0.80±0.26 mL, cloudy white, pH 7.44±0.14, and with watery semen consistency. The microscopic evaluation showed that the sperm motility was 66.98±0.39%, with sperm viability of 75.6±1.79%. Sperm concentration was 62.17±46.95×106 mL–1 with a total concentration of 42.14±23.51×106 cells. Normal sperm morphology is only 40.72±6.26%. Conclusion: This study concluded that the development of a semen collection technique using an EE preceded by imaging of the EE probe location using ultrasound was effective for the ejaculation of Javan leopards. The characteristics of the semen of the Javan leopard showed moderate semen volume, sperm motility, and viability. Javan leopard showed low sperm concentration and normal sperm morphology.
Mass Interception Fractions and Weathering Half-lives of Iodine-131 and Radiocesium in Leafy Vegetables Observed after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident
Authors: Tagami Keiko , Uchida Shigeo
Published: December 2021

Background: This study was carried out to provide environmental transfer parameter values to estimate activity concentrations of these radionuclides in agricultural crops when direct contamination occurred.Materials and Methods: Mass interception fractions (FBs) and weathering half-lives (Tws) of 131I and radiocesium were calculated using openly available monitoring data obtained after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. FB is the ratio between the initial radioactivity concentration of a radionuclide retained by the edible part of the plant (Bq‧ kg-1 fresh weight [FW]) and the amount of deposited radionuclide in that area (Bq‧m-2). Tw values can be calculated using activity concentrations of crops decreased with time after the initial contamination.Results and Discussion: Calculated FB and Tw values for 131I and radiocesium were mostly obtained for leafy vegetables. The analytical results showed that there was no difference of FBs between 131I and radiocesium by t-test; geometric mean values for leafy vegetables cultivated under outdoor conditions were 0.058 and 0.12 m2 ‧ kg-1 FW, respectively. Geometric mean Tw value of 131I in leafy vegetables grown under outdoor conditions was 8.6 days, and that of radiocesium was 6.6 days; there was no significant difference between Tw values of these radionuclides by Wilcoxon rank sum test.Conclusion: There was no difference between 131I and radiocesium for FBs and Tws. By using these factors, we would be able to carry out a rough estimation of the activity concentrations of 131I and radiocesium in the edible part of leafy crops when a nuclear accident occurred.
Does the Intensity of Gadget Use Impact Social and Emotional Development of Children aged 48-72 Months?
Authors: Rukmana Nabila Ilma Nisa , Ainy Fardana Nur , Dewanti Linda , Mujtaba Farah
Published: December 2021

Purpose –This study aims to analyze the correlation between the intensity of gadget use and the social-emotional development of children aged 48-72 months.Design/methods/approach – The Study uses quantitative research with a cross-sectional study. The sample includes 126 children using a simple random sampling technique at Al-Furqon Kindergarten and Bunda Ghifari Kindergarten Surabaya, Indonesia. The independent variable is the intensity of gadget use which is measured using a questionnaire. The dependent variable is the children’s social-emotional development as measured by the Questionnaire of Problems and Emotional Behavior.Findings – There is a significant correlation between the intensity of gadget usage and the social-emotional development of children aged 48-72 months (p-value < 0.05). High-intensity gadget use will increase their social-emotional development in the referral category, which means it requires treatment by the experts.Research implications/limitations - The result of this study supports the theory that high intensity of gadget usage on children will affect their social and emotional development. This study only focuses on children’s social and emotional development without examining another developmental variable that may affect the study results.Practical implications – Parents are expected to play a role in supervising and limiting the use of gadgets on children to avoid the negative impacts.Originality/value –This study contributes to the literature by showing the effect of gadget use on children’s social and emotional development.

Paper type Research paper
PERFOMANCE OF GEAR HONES WITH VARIOUS BONDING AGENTS DEPENDING ON THEIR MATERIAL’S MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
Authors: Bagishov Yu. S.
Published: December 2021

Gear hones are used for finish machining of hardened gear teeth lateral faces applying the generating method. The effectiveness of using such tools depends mainly on their composite material’s mechanical properties: bending strength, shrinkage, hardness, and the elasticity modulus. In practice, gear hones feature low durability and often fail due to tooth strippage; besides, they gave insufficient cutting capacity and wear resistance. It is of interest to study operation capacity of the most advanced gear hones with relatively hard eposy-aceturic and elastic hydroxyurethane bonding agents that have improved mechanical properties of the material. It was demonstrated that operational durability of such gear hones increases at increased bending strength and hardness and decreased material shrinkage. Elastic gear hones with a hydroxyurethane bonding agent also depend on the elasticity modulus; a value of 500…1000 MPa should be considered optimal. High durability of such gear hones is ensured even at low values of bending strength due to deformability of the teeth material.
CLASSIFICATION OF PRODUCTION RISKS OF AN INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISE
Authors: Bezjazychnyi V. F. , Kiselev E. V. , Troshkin V. A.
Published: December 2021

Improvement of modern management systems for industrial enterprises involves the active use of risk management methods that are accompanied by their activities. Issues of production risks and their place in the General enterprise management system are discussed in the article. There is a classification of the main production risks and possible risk management methods applicable in the activities of an industrial enterprise.
SELECTION OF BASIC PARAMETERS OF HYDRAULIC SYSTEM OF STAND FOR FULL-SCALE TESTS OF PIPES FOR DURABILITY BY INTERNAL PRESSURE
Authors: Goydo M. E. , Baturin A. A. , Bodrov V. V. , Bagautdinov R. M.
Published: December 2021

A complex of formulas is presented, the consistent application of which allows, based on the given characteristics of the sinusoidal law of variation of the internal pressure in the test pipe, to calculate and select the main parameters of the hydraulic system of the test bench. An example is given of using a simple method for checking the correctness of the choice made.
THE PROPERTIES OF THE MECHANISMS WITH SIX DEGREES OF FREEDOM
Authors: Kheylo S. V. , Garin O. A. , Palochkin S. V. , Dorofeev S. D.
Published: December 2021

Parallel mechanisms analysis and design are the main trends of advance robotic engineering. This article is devoted to the novel parallel mechanisms with six degrees of freedom. The presented mechanisms can be applied in additive technologies, robotic–assisted surgery. The proposed mechanisms contain six drives and six kinematic chains. They have the properties of a partial kinematic decoupling, which allows realized separately translational and rotational movements. The presented mechanisms is a simple kinematic scheme. The drives can provide a ratio 1:1 of with the movement of the output link. The paper considers the solution of kinematics problems, velocity analysis, singularities. The velocity problem is solved by differentiating the coupling equations. Singularities were detected by studying the properties of Jacobi matrices. The singularities depend only on the orientation of the output link. These mechanisms have a large working area free of singularities. The working area is determined by solving the coupling equations. The solved problems allow to solve the control such mechanisms in the future.
PUNCHING CUPS WITH BOTTOM FLANGE BY DIRECT EXTRUSION WITH COUNTER-PUNCH. EXPERIMENTAL VERIFICATION OF THEORETICAL RESULTS FOR DIFFERENT CAVITY RADII AND BOTTOM THICKNESSES
Authors: Vorontsov A. L. , Nikiforov I. A.
Published: December 2021

The results of an experimental verification of the obtained theoretical formulas are presented, which make it possible to determine the most important parameters for extruding glasses with a counter-punch for different cavity radii and bottom thicknesses. The characteristics of the tools used, the geometric parameters of the extrusion experiments, the strength characteristics of deformable materials, and their lubrication are described in detail. Extrusion studies of both non-hardening and hardening material have been performed. The methodology for performing theoretical calculations is shown in detail. The high accuracy of the calculated calculation formulas is confirmed.
PUNCHING CUPS WITH BOTTOM FLANGE BY DIRECT EXTRUSION WITH COUNTER-PUNCH. PROCESS DESIGN FOR INDUSTRIAL TESTING
Authors: Vorontsov A. L. , Nikiforov I. A.
Published: December 2021

The design of the process for industrial testing of a new method for manufacturing glasses with a flange in the bottom part by direct extrusion with counter-punch is shown in detail. The drawing of the resulting product is given, the requirements for it are set out. It is shown that on presses with a low working speed, the counter-punch resistance cannot be ensured. It was proposed to use the temperature effect of plastic deformation, which manifests itself above a certain rate of deformation and eliminates the increase in force due to hardening of the extruded material, to ensure an acceptable load on the counter-punch.
THE RULE OF COMBINING A PRIORI AND EXPERIMENTAL INFORMATION IN THE TASKS OF MANAGING TESTS OF COMPLEX TECHNICAL PRODUCTS ACCORDING TO THE BERNOULLI SCHEME
Authors: Buryak Yu. I. , Skrynnikov A. A.
Published: December 2021

The article is devoted to the substantiation of the procedure for testing complex technical systems to assess the probability of performing the task, taking into account a priori data obtained from the results of modeling, field tests of components and prototypes, operation of analogues, etc. The conditions for the formation of a combined sample consisting of field experiments and experiments counted on the results of modeling are justified. Data uniformity is checked using the Student's criterion. The minimum volume of full-scale tests is determined by the requirement of equality of the amount of Fischer information about the estimated parameter obtained during full-scale tests and at the expense of a priori data A strategy for conducting field experiments is proposed, in which the required quality of evaluating the probability of completing the task is achieved with the minimum possible number of field experiments. At the first stage, a series of experiments with a volume equal to half of the required sample size is performed. At the second stage, the experiments are conducted sequentially with an assessment after each experiment of the requirements for the amount of information about the evaluated parameter and for the uniformity of data. Experiments are terminated when the specified requirements are met, and then a combined sample is formed, which is used to evaluate the probability of the system performing the task. A model example is considered. The estimation of the gain in the number of experiments performed at different probability values was carried out.
HE METHOD OF COMBINED ONLINE ASSESSMENT ENGAGEMENT IN ADAPTIVE LEARNING SYSTEMS
Authors: Voronina A. A. , Shabalina O. A. , Kataev A. V.
Published: December 2021

Modern trends in the development of educational software are associated with adaptive learning systems that can personalize the learning process. One of the key quality indicators of any learning system is user engagement in learning process. The known methods for assessing engagement of users of computer systems are based on collecting of various data on the user’s behavior, his emotional and neurophysiological state, etc., and interpreting it in the context of involvement. Confidence in the results of assessments based on interpretations may be insufficient to make decisions based on these results, which is of fundamental importance in case of using in adaptive learning systems. And besides not all the methods can be used online, which is a prerequisite for application in adaptive learning systems. A method for online assessing engagement has been developed, based on a combination of oculography, emotion analysis and web analytics methods, which is applicable for adapting the learning process in adaptive learning systems. The joint analysis of the physiological state and behavior (actions) of the user allows to take into account various aspects of the possible manifestation of the user engagement, and increase the confidence in the results of the assessment of engagement. Quantitative engagement indicators based on metrics applicable to online engagement assessment are suggested. Due to ambiguity of possible interpretations of quantitative indicators of involvement, a generalized assessment of engagement is determined using a fuzzy inference mechanism. To assess engagement a linguistic variable is used and a method for assessing user engagement is based on fuzzy rules. The proposed method is implemented in a web application that can be used to assess involvement online in adaptive learning systems. To set the linguistic variable for assessing engagement, an experiment will be conducted with the participation of users of learning systems and external experts. The values of the linguistic variable will be defined in such a way that the result of assessing involvement, obtained using the developed method, does not contradict the results of expert assessments.
INTEGRATED LOGISTICAL SUPPORT OF AERONAUTICAL EQUIPMENT BASED ON PROBABILITY-GUARANTEEING ESTIMATION OF THE RISKS, ASSOCIATED WITH THE AIRCRAFT TECHNICAL CONDITION
Authors: Evdokimenkov V. N. , Kim R. V. , Krasilshchikov M. N. , Selvesyuk N. I.
Published: December 2021

In this article, we analyze the modern concepts in the field of the aeronautical equipment integrated logistical support (ILS). The key element of the traditional logistical support system under consideration is the data on detected failures and malfunctions, recorded in the air flight and maintenance log (AFML), chart-orders, non-routine write-ups and accumulated within the structure of the logistic support analysis database. We propose a method for expanding the ILS capabilities by means of including of an additional element, called the flight information database, in the logistics center structure, along with the traditional database for analyzing the logistical support. This database is constantly growing during the aircraft operation. It also contains the values of the parameters recorded by the standard onboard flight data recorder, which reflect the state of the onboard systems. The inclusion of a flight information database into the structure of the logistical support center makes it possible to implement the probability-guaranteeing estimation method in respect of the risks, associated with the aircraft technical condition, for benefit of the integrated logistical support. The proposed method uses an inverse probabilistic criterion (quantile) as an integral characteristic of the aircraft systems technical condition. This is fully consistent with modern approaches to organizing condition-based maintenance. Among these approaches, the data-driven methodology (DDM) has the greatest potential and practical efficiency. The applicative value of the described method is in the fact that its implementation needs neither a priori information about the principles of the maintained equipment operation, nor information about the functioning principles of the on-board controller network, which is used to control the equipment physical parameters. In this article, we also present the accuracy estimates of forecasting the residual life of an aircraft gas turbine engine, using the proposed method. These estimates are based on the actual flight data presented in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) repository.
THE STUDY OF THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF VIRTUAL REALITY ON THE HUMAN CONDITION IN THE LEARNING PROCESS
Authors: Obukhov A. D. , Arkhipov A. E. , Nazarova A. O.
Published: December 2021

A study of the degree of influence of negative factors on the physical condition of a person in the course of training with the use of virtual reality was conducted. The main factors of influence of virtual reality on the learning process of specialists were considered. Specialized software was developed to collect the necessary data on the process of interaction with virtual reality. Tests were conducted on a focus group of students and young professionals to calculate the pattern of manifestation of negative factors of virtual reality in the learning process. Based on the collected data, the dynamics of changes in objective indicators of focus group participants was analyzed, and subjective evaluations of users’ quality of interaction with virtual reality were processed. The obtained values of quantitative and qualitative metrics made it possible to assess the success of using virtual reality technologies in the process of training specialists.
EVALUATING THE COMPLEXITY OF IMPLEMENTING DATA PROCESSING ON IOT-DEVICES
Authors: Anufrienko A. Yu.
Published: December 2021

A method for implementing data processing in the Internet of Things systems, based on the end device, is considered. While existing approaches are based on the Cloud or Edge paradigm, processing on the end device of the IoT system allows you to reduce the amount of data transmitted at the initial stage. Correlation processing is an effective way to detect signals, however, practical implementations with a long pulse response duration are not suitable for low-power devices. The paper compares a number of implementations with an estimate of the number of computational operations, as well as an improved approach that reduces not only the number of operations, but also the processing delay. In addition, the implementation study is carried out when implementing on the basis of field programmable gate arrays (FPGA). The directions related to the research of signal processing directly on intermediate devices and, especially, on end devices (on-sensor processing) are represented to a lesser extent. This fact is due to the fundamental limitations of the end devices and systems of the Internet of Things, as well as the contradictory requirements. First of all, the devices should be as cheap as possible, autonomous, compact and at the same time have low power consumption. These requirements limit the performance of end devices. The network, in turn, must provide the required quality of service (QoS) and the speed and reliability of data transmission. The implementation of data processing on end devices in IoT systems is of great scientific and practical interest. This article will consider an approach based on correlation processing (consistent filtering). The traditional approach with large orders of filters on low-power, from a computational point of view, devices is redundant and not always feasible.
APPLICATION OF DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING SYSTEMS FOR IMAGE PROCESSING IN ORDER TO SEARCH FOR UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES
Authors: Kalyaev A. I.
Published: December 2021

This article describes an approach to solving the problem of searching, identifying and tracking UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) using a distributed computing system for processing images from multiple surveillance cameras. Today, the problem of finding UAVs is becoming especially relevant due to their widespread distribution and low cost, which gives a wide scope for illegal use: the implementation of terrorist attacks in crowded places and critical infrastructure, as well as unauthorized tracking of specially protected areas. At the same time, modern radars have low efficiency for searching for UAVs, so today visual detection tools are used, for which effective work requires complex calculations. In this article, it is proposed to use distributed computing systems to solve these complex problems of processing a video stream for the purpose of searching, identifying and tracking objects (UAVs). For this, the author of the article, proceeding from the potential areas of application of such systems, decided to apply a multiagent approach, which makes it possible to create fault-tolerant and scalable systems. In the course of work on the article, softwarefor a distributed computing system for image processing in order to search for unmanned aerial vehicleswas created, a hardware stand was assembled to test it. While performing tests, it was concluded that the proposed method can be applied to implement high-resolution video processing and frame rate in a distributed computing system.
Review of Ethnopharmacology, Morpho-Anatomy, Biological Evaluation and Chemical Composition of Syzygium polyanthum (Wight) Walp.
Authors: Mahmoud Dogara Abdulrahman
Published: December 2021

Syzygium polyanthum (Wight) Walp, a Myrtaceae member, is widely distributed in Southeast Asian countries. The Malays and Indonesians consume the leaves regularly as Ulam (food). It has also been used in traditional medicine to treat several ailments, including gastritis, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diarrhea, skin diseases, diabetes and endometriosis. So far, many publications on the biological activity and chemical profile of the plant have been published. There is a need to thoroughly examine the articles and combine the major findings highlighting the potential utility of the species. Thus, the present study aimed to review the ethnopharmacology, morpho-anatomy, biological evaluation and chemical composition of S. polyanthum. In vivo, in vitro antibacterial, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antioxidants, essential oil and chemical composition of S. polyanthum were searched in Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed. The investigations revealed that S. polyanthum is a medicinal plant with proven antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antidiabetic and anti inflammatory activities. The plant had a substantial impact on human health. Chemical ingredients extracted and characterised are monoterpene, sesquiterpene, oxygenated monoterpenes, oxygenated sesquiterpenes, phenolic and flavonoid compounds. The review found that the in vitro and in vivo biological evaluation of S. polyanthum was well documented. In order to have conclusive results on the plant leaves efficacy, a well-designed clinical trial is required. Efforts should also be taken for long-term conservation and management.
Rola duchowieństwa Kościoła rzymskokatolickiego w czasie ludobójstwa w Rwandzie w 1994 roku. Spojrzenie z perspektywy 27 lat po wydarzeniach
Authors: Stelmach Dawid
Published: December 2021

Podczas ludobójstwa w Rwandzie w 1994 r. swoistą rolę odegrali duchowni Kościoła rzymskokatolickiego. W powszechnej opinii publicznej dominuje pogląd, że ci duchowni, bądź biernie, bądź czynnie, wspierali ludobójstwo dokonywane przez plemię Hutu na plemieniu Tutsi. Rzeczywistość jednak jest bardziej skomplikowana. O ile kolaborujących duchownych było około 20, o tyle ponad 200 duchownych zginęło w wyniku ludobójstwa. Niniejszy artykuł ma na celu pokazanie, jak skomplikowana i niejednoznaczna była sytuacja duchownych podczas realnego zagrożenia śmiercią w 1994 r.
Naturalna regulacja poczęć wyrazem odpowiedzialnego rodzicielstwa. Interdyscyplinarna argumentacja o. Karola Meissnera w Memoriale Krakowskim
Authors: Olczyk Maciej
Published: December 2021

Artykuł przypomina doniosły wkład o. Karola Meissnera w sformułowanie argumentacji na rzecz promocji metod naturalnej regulacji poczęć w kontekście przygotowań do opublikowania encykliki Humanae vitae. Argumentacja ta została zaprezentowana w dokumencie znanym jako Memoriał Krakowski, który został opracowany z inicjatywy Karola Wojtyły przez środowisko krakowskich teologów, etyków i lekarzy. Wartością  tego dokumentu było i jest pod dzień dzisiejszy nie tylko jego personalistyczne ukierunkowanie oraz interdyscyplinarność, ale także wskazanie alternatywy dla działań antykoncepcyjnych w postaci naturalnej regulacji poczęć, za którą przemawiają wyłożone w dokumencie argumenty teologiczne, etyczne oraz medyczne.
A vanishing theorem for the canonical blow-ups of Grassmann manifolds
Authors: Fang Hanlong , Zhu Songhao
Published: December 2021

Let 𝒯s,p,nbe the canonical blow-up of the Grassmann manifoldG(p,n) constructed by blowing up the Plücker coordinate subspaces associated with the parameters. We prove that the higher cohomology groups of the tangent bundle of 𝒯s,p,nvanish. As an application, 𝒯s,p,nis locally rigid in the sense of Kodaira-Spencer.
Exploring the relationships among stoichiometric coefficients, number of transferred electrons, mean oxidation number of carbons, and oxidative ratio in organic combustion reactions
Authors: Yuen Pong Kau , Lau Cheng Man Diana
Published: December 2021

Combustion reactions, stoichiometry, and redox reactions are some of the basic contents in chemistry curriculum. Although the counting of transferred electrons is critical in redox reactions, assigning mean oxidation number of organic carbons (ONc) is not always easy. Even though the relationship between the oxidative ratio (OR) and ONc is known, the relationship between the number of transferred electrons (Te−) and OR has not been thoroughly studied. The H-atom method has already been developed to balance and deduct organic combustion reactions. It can be used further to help establish the relationships among the stoichiometric coefficients (SC), the number of transferred hydrogens (TH), and Te−. This article uses the procedures of the H-atom method for balancing and deducting, and the known relationships among SC, TH, and Te−for exploring the relationships among SC, Te−, ONc, and OR in organic combustion reactions. By integrating three sets of relationships: (i) SC and Te−, (ii) Te−and ON, and (iii) SC and OR, the interconversions among SC, Te−, ONc, and OR can be mathematically formulated. Furthermore, Te−, ONc, and OR can be assigned by SC and the general molecular formula of CxHyOzXw.
Satellite-based evaluation of temporal change in cultivated land in Southern Punjab (Multan region) through dynamics of vegetation and land surface temperature
Authors: Hussain Sajjad , Mubeen Muhammad , Ahmad Ashfaq , Masood Nasir , Hammad Hafiz Mohkum , Amjad Muhammad , Imran Muhammad , Usman Muhammad , Farid Hafiz Umar , Fahad Shah , Nasim Wajid , Javeed Hafiz Muhammad Rashad , Ali Mazhar , Qaisrani Saeed Ahmad , Farooq Amjad , Khalid Muhammad Shafique , Waleed Mirza
Published: December 2021

The rapid increase in urbanization has an important effect on cropping pattern and land use/land cover (LULC) through replacing areas of vegetation with commercial and residential coverage, thereby increasing the land surface temperature (LST). The LST information is significant to understand the environmental changes, urban climatology, anthropogenic activities, and ecological interactions, etc. Using remote sensing (RS) data, the present research provides a comprehensive study of LULC and LST changes in water scarce and climate prone Southern Punjab (Multan region), Pakistan, for 30 years (from 1990 to 2020). For this research, Landsat images were processed through supervised classification with maps of the Multan region. The LULC changes showed that sugarcane and rice (decreased by 2.9 and 1.6%, respectively) had less volatility of variation in comparison with both wheat and cotton (decreased by 5.3 and 6.6%, respectively). The analysis of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) showed that the vegetation decreased in the region both in minimum value (−0.05 [1990] to −0.15 [2020]) and maximum value (0.6 [1990] to 0.54 [2020]). The results showed that the built-up area was increased 3.5% during 1990–2020, and these were some of the major changes which increased the LST (from 27.6 to 28.5°C) in the study area. The significant regression in our study clearly shows that NDVI and LST are negatively correlated with each other. The results suggested that increasing temperature in growing period had a greatest effect on all types of vegetation. Crop-based classification aids water policy managers and analysts to make a better policy with enhanced information based on the extent of the natural resources. So, the study of dynamics in major crops and surface temperature through satellite RS can play an important role in the rural development and planning for food security in the study area.
Shale types and sedimentary environments of the Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation-Member 1 of the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in western Hubei Province, China
Authors: Shen Junjun , Chen Decheng , Chen Kongquan , Ji Yubing , Wang Pengwan , Li Junjun , Cai Quansheng , Meng Jianghui
Published: December 2021

By performing scanning electron microscopy, microscopic observations, whole-rock X-ray diffraction analysis, organic geochemistry analysis, and elemental analysis on drill core specimens and thin sections, in this study, we classified the shale types of the Wufeng Formation-Member 1 of the Longmaxi Formation in western Hubei, southern China, and explored the development characteristics and formation environments of the different shale types. The results show that (1) the shales of the Wufeng Formation-Member 1 of the Longmaxi Formation are composed of three types of shale: siliceous shale, mixed clay-siliceous shale, and clay shale. The siliceous shale is a type of shale unique to deep-water environments; clay shale is the main type of shale formed in shallow-water environments; and mixed clay-siliceous shale falls between the two. (2) The changes in shale type are characterized by multiple depositional cycles in the vertical direction with strong heterogeneity and an obvious tripartite character, and the siliceous shales gradually thicken as they laterally extend northwestward, with their last depositional cycle gradually ending at a later time. (3) The Late Ordovician-Early Silurian paleoenvironment can be divided into six evolutionary stages (A, B, C, D, E, and F) from early to late. In particular, the sea level was relatively lower in stages A and F when the bottom water was mainly oxygen rich with higher terrigenous inputs and a lower paleoproductivity, which led to the formation of clay shales poor in organic matter but rich in terrigenous quartz clasts. The sea level was higher in stages B, C, and D when the bottom water was anoxic with lower terrigenous inputs and a higher paleoproductivity, which led to the formation of siliceous shales rich in organic matter and biogenic silica. The total organic carbon (TOC) contents of siliceous shales decrease in the order of stage C > stage D > stage B, which is mainly attributed to the different degrees of water restriction in the three stages and the consequently different paleoproductivities. Stage E corresponds to the mixed clay-siliceous shales, the depositional environment of which is between those of the siliceous shales and the clay shales, thereby resulting in the mineral composition and TOC content of the mixed clay-siliceous shales being between those of the other two shale types.