bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Swiftsure Bank water column survey SO294, offshore British Columbia
Authors: Kehew J , Douglas K , Riedel M , Klaucke I , Norgard T , Du Preez C , Li Z , Stacey C
Published: March 2023

A water column survey at Swiftsure Bank shows evidence of venting from the seabed across a 47.8 km transect with 109 individual plumes identified (Figure 1). The RV Sonne SO294 CLOCKS expedition, from September 12-October 27, 2022, provided opportunity for a
multibeam echosounder survey at Swiftsure Bank on behalf of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) while transiting on September 17, 2022. The data and results are presented here. Cold seeps are relevant to marine spatial planning as they are ecologically and
biologically significant areas (EBSAs), providing unique habitat for chemosynthetic organisms.
Cost–Utility Analysis for Rapid Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 Antigen Detection Assay in Comparison Versus Real-Time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay for Laboratory Diagnosis of Coronavirus Disease -2019
Authors: Mungmunpuntipantip Rujittika , Wiwanitkit Viroj
Published: March 2023

Background:

The global pandemic of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is still spreading. As a result, rapid, simple, and accurate diagnostics to diagnose severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection are urgently needed. For the diagnosis of COVID-19 cases, the performance characteristics of the quick SARS-CoV-2 antigen detection test should be investigated and compared to the gold standard real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. The utility of the antigen detection test is reported from field evaluation. However, an interesting concern is on the utility of the test.

Methods:

Here, the authors perform a cost utility analysis to appraise rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen detection assay in comparison versus real-time RT-PCR assay for laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19.

Results:

According to the analysis, the cost per utility of rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen detection assay is 3.24 times less than that of comparison versus real-time RT-PCR assay.

Conclusion:

Hence, it can conclude that rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen detection assay is appropriate for using for diagnosis of COVID-19 in term of cost–utility.
Antidiabetic Effect of Borassus flabellifer L. Extracts on Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats
Authors: Peter Anitha , Tajudheen Nargis Begum , Ramamoorthy Senthil Kumar
Published: March 2023

Background:

Around the world, the number of people with diabetes is rising at an alarming rate, and experts have been using ancient drugs that are mostly made from plants as treatments. This study aimed to see if Borassus
flabellifer L. palm sprout ethanolic extracts could help treat diabetes in rats made diabetic by streptozotocin (STZ).

Methods:

STZ (45 mg/kg bw) was injected once into the peritoneum of male albino Wistar rats. This caused them to get diabetes. For 60 days, intragastric intubation was used to give diabetic rats B.
flabellifer palm sprout ethanolic extracts (400 mg/kg bw) and glibenclamide (1 mg/kg bw).

Results:

As a result, the rats lost a lot of weight, their blood sugar and glycosylated hemoglobin levels went up, and their total hemoglobin (Hb) levels went down. Furthermore, glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1,6-bis phosphatase were higher in rats made diabetic by STZ, while hexokinase and glycogen levels were lower. When diabetic rats were given ethanolic extracts of B. flabellifer palm sprouts and glibenclamide, their blood glucose and glycosylated Hb levels went down very well, and their Hb levels went up. Changes in how enzymes that break down carbohydrates and liver glycogen work were greatly improved.

Conclusion:

The results of the ethanolic extracts of B.
flabellifer palm sprouts were similar to those of the standard drug glibenclamide. The results of this study back up the traditional use of plant extracts to treat diabetes.
Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Isolation from Sputum Specimens: A Retrospective Analysis of 1061 Cases
Authors: Babalık Aylin , Koç Emine Nur , Şekerbey Hamide Gül , Dönmez Gül Erdal , Balıkçı Ahmet , Kılıçaslan Zeki
Published: March 2023

Background:

In recent years, with the development of laboratory methods, the frequency of nontuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) infections has increased. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) growths in respiratory samples, and the secondary aim was to evaluate the treatment regimens and treatment outcomes of treatment for TDM disease.

Methods:

This study was a retrospective cohort study. Persons with NTM growth in respiratory samples admitted to the reference hospital between 2009 and 2020 were included in this study. Samples detected as NTM by the immunochromatographic rapid diagnostic test, those requested by the clinicians, species were determined by the hsp65PCRREA method. The subjects were classified into 3 groups: patients with NTM infection who received treatment (135, 12.7%), those followed up without treatment (690, 65.1%), and a last group of patients with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) complex strains were isolated and received TB treatment (236, 22.2%). Initiating NTM treatment was decided in accordance with the American Thoracic Society recommendations.

Results:

The mean ± standard deviation age of patients was 53.8 ± 16.5 years, and 749 (70.6%) were male. In total, 278 (26.2%) out of 1061 cases had identified, and the most frequent species were MAC (81; Mycobacterium avium: 39, Mycobacterium intracellulare: 39, and MAC: 3), Mycobacterium abscessus (67), Mycobacterium kansasii (48), Mycobacterium fortuitum (23), Mycobacterium chelonae (12), Mycobacterium gordonae (11), and Mycobacterium szulgai (11). In the NTM treatment group, 116 (85.9%) of 135 patients had multiple culture positivity. Previous TB treatment history had 51 (37.8%) of 135 patients, respiratory comorbidities were evident in 37 (27.4%) of 135 patients. Thorax computed tomography imaging in 84 patients revealed nodule 38 (45.2%), consolidation 46 (54.8%), cavity 52 (61.9%), and bronchiectasis 27 (32.1%). Treatment results in the NTM treatment group were as follows: ongoing treatment 14 (10.4%), cure 64 (47.4%), default 33 (24.4%), exitus 19 (14.1%), recurrence 3 (2.2%), and refractory disease 2 (1.5%).

Conclusion:

This is a large case series evaluating the clinical significance of NTM growths and NTM treatment in Turkey. The clinical significance of NTM growth in respiratory samples is low. Treatment success rates of NTM patients who are treated are low. Treatment defaults and mortality rates are high. New drugs and new regimens are needed.
Mucormycosis as Post Coronavirus Disease Complication
Authors: Koppolu Pradeep , Afroz Mohammed Malik , Khan Tahseen Ali , Lingam Amara Swapna , Husna Sajida , Syeda Mehnaaz Sultana
Published: March 2023

Mucormycosis is called as black fungus, which is caused by fungus belonged to Mucorales. If this fungus, effects healthy individuals it won’t cause any serious complications, but it may cause life-threatening issues when Mucorales affects individuals who have low immunity. The mortality rate of black fungus is more than 50%, and it may also range till 100% if the individual is having any preexisting or chronic disease. This was the case of a 55-year-old male patient complaint of having generalized pain in the maxillary teeth bilaterally and suffering fullness in the maxillary sinus. To check on other possible diseases, doctors have conducted other diagnosis tests, and orthopantomogram revealed in the diagnosis that there was the presence of haziness in the left maxillary sinus, which looked like an incompletely formed soap bubble and additionally he diagnosed with coronavirus disease positive. Then, doctors suggested a chest computerized tomography (CT) along with head CT excluding the brain and further investigation of this case was given below in detail. The report reveals acute necrotizing suppurative sinusitis with dead bony tissue, soft-tissue necrosis with fungal infestation showing broad hyphae with right-angle branching suggestive of mucormycosis.
Favorable Outcome of Individual Regimens Containing Bedaquiline and Delamanid in Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Putra Oki Nugraha , Yulistiani Yulistiani , Soedarsono Soedarsono , Subay Susi
Published: March 2023

Background:

Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is a public health concern that is difficult to treat, requiring long and complex treatment with highly effective drugs. Bedaquiline and/or delamanid have already shown promising outcomes in patients with DR-TB, increasing the rate of culture conversion and lowering TB-related mortality.

Methods:

We comprehensively searched and evaluated the effectiveness of individual regimens containing bedaquiline and delamanid on culture conversion and treatment success. We assessed for quality either observational or experimental studies.

Results:

We identified 14 studies that met the inclusion criteria using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses flowchart with 12 observational and 2 experimental studies. Of 1691 DR-TB patients enrolled in the included studies, 1407 of them concomitantly received regimens containing bedaquiline and delamanid. Overall multidrug resistant (MDR), preextensively drug resistant (XDR), and XDR-TB were seen in 21.4%, 44.1%, and 34.5%, respectively. Of 14 studies, 8 of them reported favorable outcomes including sputum culture conversion and cure rate at the end of treatment, meanwhile 6 studies only reported sputum culture conversion. Sputum culture conversion at the end of the 6th month was 63.6%–94.7% for observational studies, and 87.6%–95.0% for experimental studies. The favorable outcome at the end of treatment was 67.5%–91.4%. With high pre-XDR and XDR cases among DR-TB patients with limited treatment options, regimens containing bedaquiline and delamanid provide successful treatment.

Conclusion:

In DR-TB patients receiving regimens containing bedaquiline and delamanid, favorable outcomes were high including sputum conversion and cure rate.
Osteoarticular Tuberculosis in Central India: Changing Epidemiological Profile and Emerging Challenges
Authors: Kori Vivek Kumar , Bandil Deepanshu , Asthana Mohit , Maravi Deepak Singh
Published: March 2023

Background:

Osteoarticular tuberculosis (OATB) is a form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) affecting bones and joints. There is a paucity of data on skeletal TB epidemiology in the annual TB reports and current literature. Many atypical presentations of the disease have also emerged. This necessitates periodic observation of the epidemiological profile of OATB. The aim of this study is to analyze the prevailing epidemiological trends of OATB in Central India.

Methods:

The 5-year ambispective observational study was conducted at the department of orthopedics of a tertiary care center in Central India. Records of patients diagnosed with OATB from January 2017 to December 2021 were analyzed for demographic factors, site of lesion, comorbidities (pulmonary TB, human immunodeficiency virus, and diabetes), etc., Chi-square test for linear trend was used to determine whether a linear trend exists in the number of diagnosed cases.

Results:

Two hundred and ten skeletal TB lesions were found in 208 patients included in the study. OATB was highly reported in young adults and females. Spinal lesions were three times more common than extraspinal OATB lesions. The lumbar spine was the most affected region. Hip was the most common extraspinal site. Unusual sites such as sternoclavicular joint and ischial tuberosity were also involved.

Conclusion:

The burden of OATB is increasing, especially spinal TB. The involvement of atypical sites insists on strong clinical suspicion for early diagnosis. The practice of empirical antitubercular chemotherapy needs to be reviewed considering the risk of drug resistance.
Effect of therapeutic ultrasound in patients after flexor tendon repair
Authors: Gill Amarjot Singh , Chawla Nistara Singh , Saini Sandeep Singh , Pargal Pinki
Published: March 2023

CONTEXT:

Injuries to the flexor tendons of the hand may not seem very complicated, but the rehab may take months. Adjunction of the existing protocols with therapeutic ultrasound at the early phase may speed up the recovery. The high prevalence of these injuries indicates the need for more studies in the area to improve tendon repair by reducing recovery time.

AIMS:

To evaluate the role of ultrasound therapy in improving the range of motion (ROM) and grip strength postflexor tendon repair surgery.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN:

A prospective study was conducted in the department of physiotherapy in a tertiary hospital in Ludhiana.

METHODS:

This was a prospective study. Patients with flexor tendon injury postsurgical repair, 1-week postoperative were the target population.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:

The mean change in ROM and grip strength was analyzed in both the intervention and the control groups using paired t-test in SPSS software.

RESULTS:

The mean change in ROM before and after the intervention was19.2° and 32.02° for distal inter-phalangeal (DIP) joints and 14.3° and 23.14° for proximal inter-phalangeal (PIP) joints in the control and the experimental groups, respectively. The Pvalue for ROM comparison was 0.0082, which was very statistically significant. The mean change in grip strength was measured as 73.2 lbs and 81 lbs in the control and experimental groups, respectively. The Pvalue was 0.238, which was not significant at P< 0.05.

CONCLUSION AND KEY MESSAGE:

The use of therapeutic ultrasound in tendon repair significantly helps enhance the recovery of the active ROM of the DIP and the PIP joints when administered at an early stage. However, no significant change in grip strength was noted in this study.
Clinical Circulating Tumor DNA Testing for Precision Oncology
Authors: Kim Hyunji , Park Kyoung Un
Published: March 2023

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is the portion of the cell-free DNA in the blood of cancer patients released from tumor cells via apoptosis, necrosis, or active release. From 10 mL of blood, the 4-5 mL of plasma obtained from a cancer patient contains 5-10 ng/mL of ctDNA. The plasma contains not only ctDNA of tumor origin, but also DNA from normal cells or clonal hematopoiesis. Another characteristic of ctDNA is its rapid clearance from circulation; it has a half-life of 16 minutes to 2.5 hours. Obtaining reliable results from ctDNA requires the application and approval of standardized clinical validation guidelines; however, the status of numerous ctDNA tests currently varies. The clinical use of ctDNA testing should be carefully considered based on the test’s specific needs and characteristics. Here we provide the different characteristics of ctDNA tests and information regarding their validation and approval status.
Utilizing Plasma Circulating Tumor DNA Sequencing for Precision Medicine in the Management of Solid Cancers
Authors: Cha Yongjun , Kim Sheehyun , Han Sae-Won
Published: March 2023

Plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) sequencing has demonstrated clinical utility for tumor molecular profiling at initial diagnosis or tumor progression in advanced solid cancers and is being rapidly incorporated into the clinical practice guidelines, including non–small cell lung and breast cancer. Despite relatively low sensitivity, plasma ctDNA sequencing has several advantages over tissue-based assays, including ease of sampling, rapid turnaround time, repeatability, and the ability to overcome spatial heterogeneity, which makes it ideal for investigating acquired resistance and monitoring tumor evolution and dynamics. With technological advancement and declining costs, the clinical application of plasma ctDNA is expanding, and numerous ongoing clinical trials are examining its potential to guide the management of advanced, localized, and even preclinical cancers of various tumor types. The ability of plasma ctDNA analysis to detect minimal residual disease following curative treatment in the absence of clinical disease is among its most promising attributes. Plasma ctDNA sequencing can also facilitate the conduct of clinical trials and drug development, particularly in immunotherapy. In order to incorporate plasma ctDNA sequencing for clinical decision-making, it is important to understand the preanalytical and analytical factors that may affect its sensitivity and reliability.
Student Teachers’ Experiences of Open Distance e-Learning Support in a Posthuman Era: A Learner Engagement Perspective
Authors: Zwane Siyabonga Alfa , Mudau Patience Kelebogile
Published: March 2023

Online learning uses information and communication technologies which rely on reliable connectivity. While this is a giant step to widen access in South African education as shown by a number of studies conducted already regarding online learning, less focus has been paid on rural students which are under-resourced. They are presumed to have access and support to online learning and assistive ICTs that make online learning possible. Therefore, the focus for this study was on KwaZulu-Natal rural student teachers’ experiences of open distance e-learning in a posthuman era. The study focused on students’ experiences regarding online support tools like discussion forum and others as tools for student engagement and support on myUnisa platform. The problem was investigated using a descriptive qualitative case study, which used individual interviews. The study involved fifteen UNISA student teachers from KZN and the findings revealed that, notwithstanding the countless  challenges,  students were very passionate about the use of online learning in open distance e-learning and they showed a desire to engage more using different types of devices and platforms as they learn through social media and also showed that learning  resides in technological appliances they use(posthumanism), hence the study’s conclusion and implications stress that the distance between the student and the institution, student and lecturer and student and other students can be mediated and reduced through proper student support services such as provision of gadgets for internet connection, proper telecommunications infrastructure, ICT workshops and training for all students and in posthumanism terms, formal integration of social networks in learning in light of the finding that learning is non-linear and resides in technological devices used to connect students.
Indifferentiability of the Sponge Construction with a Restricted Number of Message Blocks
Authors: Lefevre Charlotte
Published: March 2023

The sponge construction is a popular method for hashing. Quickly after its introduction, the sponge was proven to be tightly indifferentiable from a random oracle up to ≈ 2c/2 queries, where c is the capacity. However, this bound is not tight when the number of message blocks absorbed is restricted to ℓ < ⌈ c / 2(b−c) ⌉ + 1 (but still an arbitrary number of blocks can be squeezed). In this work, we show that this restriction leads to indifferentiability from a random oracle up to ≈ min { 2b/2, max { 2c/2, 2b−ℓ×(b−c) }} queries, where b > c is the permutation size. Depending on the parameters chosen, this result allows to have enhanced security or to absorb at a larger rate for applications that require a fixed-length input hash function.
FEATURES OF STABILIZATION OF RING BLANKS
Authors:   Joint Institute of Mechanical Engineering of the NAS of Belarus, ANTONYUK Vladimir E. , NIKIFOROVICH Sergey O. ,   OJSC “BELAZ” — Management Company of Holding “BELAZ-HOLDING”
Published: March 2023

Ring blanks are in demand in various branches of mechanical engineering in the production of large-sized bearings, turbine disks, special gears and other critical products. Besides high requirements to the ring blanks in terms of geometric dimensional accuracy, material structure and mechanical properties, in some cases the most important requirement is their production with absence of residual stresses and high stability of geometric shape. Specific features of ring rolling may lead to the occurrence of residual stresses, the magnitude of which is impossible to determine by the known methods of defect control. The paper analyzes the causes of shape error and residual stresses in the production of ring blanks in the process of ring rolling and heat treatment. The article also assesses the possibility of using different methods of shape stabilization and reduction of residual stresses in the manufacture of ring blanks for critical engineering products: expandable, thermal, thermomechanical, vibratory and ultrasonic treatment. For ring blanks designed for manufacturing critical parts, it is suggested to use shape stabilization and residual stresses reduction by means of cyclic loading after ring rolling and thermal treatment. The design scheme and force parameters of a device for stabilizing ring blanks on the basis of a double-acting lever-hinge mechanism are determined. The ring-rolling complex created at the Belarusian Automobile Plant will have potential opportunities to produce ring blanks for manufacturing of critical products in transport machine-building, aviation, space, defense and chemical industries of the Russian Federation. The results of the analysis of the methods for shape stabilization and reduction of residual stresses of ring blanks are planned to be used in the creation of this complex.
ON NATURAL BOUNDARY CONDITIONS IN THE STABILITY LOSS PROBLEM OF A PLATE WITH AN ELLIPTICAL INCLUSION UNDER TENSION
Authors:   Institute for Problems in Mechanical Engineering of the Russian Academy of Sciences, KASHTANOVA Stanislava V. , RZHONSNITSKIY Alexey V. ,   Saint-Petersburg State Institute of Technology
Published: March 2023

This paper studies the issue of determination and influence of natural boundary conditions in the problem of buckling of a thin plate with an elliptical inclusion under tension. First, the naturalness of the boundary conditions of the “free edge” type for a plate with a hole is proved. Then a plate with welded inclusion is considered and natural boundary conditions are derived. The limit cases are checked for an absolutely soft inclusion and for an absolutely rigid one. It is shown that the first case leads to a problem with a hole and the corresponding natural boundary conditions, and in the second case, to the absence of natural conditions, since a problem with a clamped edge occurs. The authors conclude that the use of additional restrictions will lead to the construction of a basis that will rapid up the convergence of the method. Variational methods are widely used in all fields of mechanics, including in the field of machine, aircraft, and rocket engineering. An exact solution to the problems of elasticity theory and structural mechanics is not always possible to construct, therefore, in practice, great importance is attached to various approximate methods. Among them a special place is occupied by variational methods based on the direct minimization of the corresponding energy of the body and making it possible to build approximate analytical solutions in the form of a functional series. The goal of variational methods is to construct a partial sum of this series, which, with a sufficient number of terms, will be maximum close to the solution. However, the issue of convergence is influenced by many factors, and one of them is the natural boundary conditions, which are derived in this paper for the problem of the stability loss of the plate with the elliptical inclusion under tension.
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH OF DYNAMIC PARAMETERS OF A TIRE FOR HIL-TESTING OF VEHICLE ACTIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS
Authors:   Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University n.a. R.E. Alekseev, TOROPOV Evgenii I. , VASHURIN Andrei S. ,   Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University n.a. R.E. Alekseev, BUTIN Danila A. ,   Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University n.a. R.E. Alekseev, STEPANOV Evgenii V. ,   Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University n.a. R.E. Alekseev
Published: March 2023

This publication presents the specialists’ experience of Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University n.a. R.E. Alekseev (NNSTU) in the field of studying the friction-rolling of an automobile wheel on an asphalt surface. Adequate mathematical reproduction of force reactions that occur in the contact patch plays a significant role in modeling vehicle dynamics. Since the fundamental description of this interaction is difficult, in engineering practice the empirical method has become popular, which consists in obtaining an experimental data array with its subsequent trigonometric approximation and systematization. NNSTU specialists have developed a test methodology and carried out full-scale tests using a specialized road tire trailer bench. The experiment was carried out on a dry asphalt pavement with a coefficient of adhesion of about 0.4–0.8 at an ambient temperature of 20 °С. The resulting array of experimental data is processed and presented in the form of a trigonometric digital model PAC 2002. The maximum discrepancy between theoretical and experimental data in absolute value doesn’t exceed 5 %.
DEEP CONTACT ENDURANCE LIMIT OF SURFACE-HARDENED GEARS
Authors:   Joint Institute of Mechanical Engineering of the NAS of Belarus, RUDENKO Sergei P. , VALKO Aleksandr L. ,   Joint Institute of Mechanical Engineering of the NAS of Belarus, SANDOMIRSKI Sergei G. ,   Joint Institute of Mechanical Engineering of the NAS of Belarus
Published: March 2023

The reliability and durability of gears in most cases depend on the contact endurance of the material of the parts. Analysis of the stress state of surface-hardened gears has shown that under contact loading, the source of primary damage can be located both on the surface and in the depth of the hardened layer. The greatest danger is deep destruction. To prevent deep pitting, it is necessary to ensure a sufficient amount of the maximum allowable stresses in the depth of the layer, exceeding the effective equivalent stresses. The value of the allowable stresses is determined by the value of the contact endurance limit, depending on the mechanical properties of the material. The article discusses the results of experimental studies of the contact fatigue resistance of transmission gears of energy-saturated mobile machines made of cemented steel grades. It is established that the limit of contact endurance is related to the hardness of the material, determined by the Rockwell method, by a linear dependence. This dependence is taken as a basis for a comparative analysis of the calculated lifetime and experimentally established in the process of bench tests of gears. Taking into account the nonlinear nature of the ratio of hardness values determined by the Rockwell and Vickers scales, the relationship is obtained between the limit of deep contact endurance and the value of hardness measured by the Vickers scale with a load of 1.961 N. It is shown that the results of comparison of calculated and experimental data are greatly influenced by the limiting state of the deep contact pitting of the teeth of the tested gears. Statistical processing of calculated and experimental data was carried out. It is found that with the identity of the limiting state of the active surfaces of the gear teeth, the results of the lifetime calculation correspond to experimental data with a correlation coefficient of 0.964 and an average standard deviation of 13 %. The obtained expression for calculating the limit of deep contact endurance contributes to increasing the reliability of calculating the lifetime of gears provided by the resistance of deep contact fatigue.
ASYMPTOTIC APPROACH TO SOLVING THE CONTACT PROBLEM FOR A ROLLING BODY WITH A THIN DEFORMABLE RIM
Authors:   Belarusian State University of Transport, CHERNOUS Dmitry A. , KADNIANKA Alena V. ,   JSC “Soligorsk Institute of Resources Saving Problems with Pilot Production”
Published: March 2023

On the basis of an asymptotic approach to solving the elasticity theory boundary value problem for a thin strip rigidly linked to a non-deformable base, the differential equations are derived for determining the normal and shear loads distributed on the strip face free from fastening. These equations are used to solve the contact problem for a rigid cylinder with a thin elastic rim with a non-deformable horizontal rough support surface. The cylinder loading by a vertical force is considered for a given cylinder center settling. The calculated diagrams of contact pressure and shear contact stresses are obtained. In contrast to the previously used methods, the developed technique makes it possible to take into account the presence of adhesion and slip zones in the contact area, as well as to use a mathematically strict solution of the constitutive equations for contact pressure and shear contact stress. The value of the vertical force acting on the rigid cylinder for a given cylinder center displacement is determined. The stress tensor intensity distribution in the rim is established. The results of the developed technique application are compared with the calculated estimates obtained on the basis of the exact solution of the boundary value problem for a strip of arbitrary thickness and within the method, involving the use of the Winkler base simplified model. The dependences of the results error for the developed method on the thickness and Poisson's ratio of the rim material are obtained. The paper describes the effect of the rim-support surface friction coefficient on the contact pressure, shear contact pressure, and the maximum intensity of the stress tensor in the rim. It is concluded that it is reasonable to use the developed technique at solving contact problems for rolling elements with a relatively thin elastic rim.
BIOMECHANICAL MODELLING OF THE HUMAN SKULL STRESS STATE UNDER IMPACT BY CYLINDRICAL SOLID
Authors:   Belarusian State University, BOSIAKOV Sergei M. , PRONKEVICH Sergei A. ,   Belarusian State University, MOROZ Igor A. ,   The Scientific and Practical Centre for Problems of Reinforcing Law and Order of the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Belarus, ZALUZHNI Gennadi I. ,   Scientific and Practical Center of the State Forensic Examination Committee of the Republic of Belarus
Published: March 2023

Skull fractures are quite often observed in victims of falls, traffic accidents, attacks with the use of bats and rods. The aim of the study is to assess the stress-strain state of the human head under impact on the basis of finite element modelling. The impact is applied to the frontal region of the frontal bone by the middle part and the end of a cylindrical solid (a rod). The solid is differently oriented with respect to the in relation to the Frankfurt plane. The head model includes the epidermis (skin), bone structures of the skull, bone structures of the lower jaw, eyeballs, teeth, meninges (dura, arachnoid and pia mater), cerebrum (white and gray matter), cerebellum, brain stem, muscles and ligaments. The elements of the human head model are described by the models of a linearly elastic material, a viscoelastic incompressible material, an elastic-plastic material considering fracture, and a hyper-elastic material. The eyeballs are assumed as absolutely rigid. The finite element analysis was carried out for different values of the initial velocity of a rod, corresponding to the moment of its contact with the skin of the head. It was found out that the maximum equivalent stresses and deformations of the skull bone structures occur under impact by the middle part of the rod compared to impact by its end. The impact action of the rod leads to the maximum equivalent stresses if the rod is located at an angle of 60° to the vertical. The region of the maximum stresses is located at the intersection of the sagittal and coronal sutures, and to a greater extent, significant stresses are observed along the coronal suture. The results obtained can be used by experts in the field of forensic science to evaluate various scenarios for the occurrence of traumatic brain injury and substantiate further forensic investigations.
Risk factor management: opportunity or necessity?
Authors: Artemieva G. B. , Kalinin R. E. , Filippov E. V. , Khominets V. V.
Published: March 2023

The article is devoted to topical issues of reducing mortality from cardiovascular diseases and the role of behavioral risk factors on the example of the Ryazan region. There is a high contribution of acute and chronic forms of coronary heart disease (IHD) to mortality from diseases of the circulatory system and, in general, to mortality from all causes. The main risk factors contributing to the development of stroke, myocardial infarction, percutaneous coronary interventions and all-cause mortality are dyslipidemias, high SCORE risk, high blood pressure, excessive alcohol consumption and coronary heart disease, stroke, a history of myocardial infarction, the need for exposure becomes obvious. on these factors and factors associated with a high risk of fatal and non-fatal events. Correction of risk factors is possible only through the implementation of integrated prevention programs. Preliminary results from the Healthy Heart 2021 project demonstrated the potential for improved control of risk factors at the population level and the need to continue the project at the regional level. In addition, it seems necessary to expand it with the formation of subprograms in the framework of reducing mortality from other chronic non-communicable diseases.
Agricultural Economic Activities in the Mekong Delta in the First Half of the 19th Century
Authors:   Can Thơ University, Tan Bui Hoang , Tung Vo Thanh ,   Hau Giang Provincal Political School
Published: March 2023

Agricultural economics is a matter of special significance for Vietnam because it is not only the main economic activity of the country but also the key of Vietnamese politics over the history. So, an overview of agricultural economic activities in Vietnam in general and in the Mekong River Delta in particular in the first half of the 19th century through the methods of exploitation and verification is required from the sources of ancient documents and records of the Nguyen Dynasty have scientific significance and profound practical value. The research results will contribute to the re-enactment of the agricultural economic picture of the Mekong Delta with specific features and at the same time contribute to clarifying the socio-economic situation of this land in the historical process nation. On that basis, the research content also summarizes practical lessons is to serve the research and solve the problem of agricultural economic management in accordance with the regional socio-economic development orientation current plain.
Revisiting the IWT for technical gaps and climate change vulnerability: a policy perspective from Pakistan
Authors: Hafeez Saira , Kausar Syed Waqas Ali
Published: March 2023

The history of India-Pakistan relations has been brimming with squabbles and conflicts since their separation in 1947. Except for the significant and lasting Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) of 1960 for sharing river waters, little-to-none economic cooperation has taken place between the two riparian states. This paper analyses some noticeable gaps that have rendered this treaty obsolete such as the escalating influence of climatic changes on water resources of the region and some other shortcomings, namely the possible limits of shared water usage, unrestricted use of shared waters for power generation, rerouting of water, and the lack of synergistic projects. Moreover, due to the exponential increase in water and energy demand along with the aggravating depletion of water tables in Pakistan, the treaty is failing to secure the combined water resources of the Indus river basin. This study presents the policy perspective to guide future endeavours, ensuring the treaty’s survival as it needs the necessary adjustments to enhance the socio-economic cooperation between India and Pakistan, put in place the collective efforts for mitigation of risks posed by climate-induced disasters, and improve the management of water resources for collaborative development.
Narratives and Indigenous History
Authors:   Universiti Malaya, Omar Asmah Haji
Published: March 2023

Folk narratives are sources of information on the movements of people from one region to another, and who take with them their complex and plural speech systems. Other facts arising from their migrations include the routes taken, the motivations for their migration, the topography with its flora and fauna along the way of travel, and the meeting with people of different ethnolinguistic groups. Data for this study represents all the three main regions of Malaysia: The Malay Peninsula, Sabah, and Sarawak, each with its own composition of indigenous groups. Information derived from the narratives are placed in different categories which are not all shared by the three regions. But the common factors present in all the three are the push and the pull factors. However, exponents of these factors differ from one region to the other. This study contributes to an understanding of the growth of geolinguistic domains of the different indigenous ethnic groups of Malaysia as we see them today.
Origins of Numerals and their Variable Forms in the Languages of Pulau Simeulue and Pulau Banyak, Aceh, Indonesia
Authors:   The University of Adelaide, Amery Robert , Aziz Zulfadli A. ,   Universitas Syiah Kuala
Published: March 2023

Enumeration in the languages of Pulau Simeulue and Pulau Banyak is a complex topic. A language survey conducted by the authors in 2016 and subsequent investigations revealed a plethora of different forms of the basic numerals from one to ten in each of the four indigenous languages, as well as in Nias spoken by newcomers from the south, depending on what is being counted. Variation is evident not only between the five languages under study, but also within each of the five languages. The variable forms arise from several independent sources. Some of the variation is deep-seated and is also found in the Formosan languages of Taiwan. Some is due to fusion of the numeral and the classifier for ‘fruit’ to form a new numeral form. However, much of the variation is due to language contact with Jamee and Indonesian. Some minor variants may best be regarded as ‘doublets’ (Blust, 2013: 278; 338-340). Other variants are explained by the presence or absence of a nasal ligature, but the source of some variants remains obscure. The result is a suite of intricate and complex numeral systems which are now under threat due to language shift. In this fluid context there appears to be considerable variation across speakers and even perhaps within the same speaker, though this remains to be thoroughly investigated. This paper presents the variation we documented through primary investigation over the period 2016 to 2019 and as documented by Ariani (2016).We attempt to trace the origins of the individual forms of the numerals in use in the languages of Pulau Simeulue and Pulau Banyak, also known as the Barrier Islands.
The Sociopragmatic Activities and Cultural Significance of an Izakaya
Authors:   Kansai University, Allen Todd J. , Liu Xiangdong ,   Western Sydney University
Published: March 2023

The izakaya is a ubiquitous destination in Japan for professionals, families, university students, and tourists alike. They are places for socialising, eating, doing business, making friends, and celebrating life, typically with the help of alcohol. While these places are found in every corner of Japan, they have been seldom analysed in light of the sociopragmatic activities that occur in them or their cultural significance. Thus, this study investigates the Japanese izakaya-based Netflix drama, 深夜食堂 Shin’ya Shokudō (‘midnight diner’). Through a sociopragmatic analysis of ten episodes of this drama, this study explores the progressivity of service encounters and describes other social activities that occur in this space. Other social activities include telling jokes and taking offense and alternative uses of the izakaya. In addition, this study proposes a contextual schema for initial service encounters and demonstrates how the izakaya can be used as a resource for mitigating stress and community support. The results show the significance of these spaces in Japanese society. The types of sociolinguistic activities that occur in an izakaya may not take place in other social settings in Japan, making them unique and offering researchers an opportunity to view particular sociolinguistic activities in a dramatic setting.
“Binajau Tambacan”: A Morphological Analysis of the Sinama Variety in Barangay Tambacan, Iligan City
Authors:   Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Opamin Keven , Licayan Brigette ,   Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Alicando Merceditha C. ,   Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology
Published: March 2023

The Sinama languages are spoken mostly in the Sulu Archipelago, in the Philippines, in Sabah, Malaysia, and in Eastern Indonesia. These languages are also known as 'Bajau' or 'Sama-Bajau,' particularly in linguistics literature. As such, the Bajau, also known as the Sama, are a culturally and linguistically diverse people who live primarily in the southern-central Philippines and in eastern regions of Indonesia and Malaysia. We interviewed women of Bajau community to investigate the morphology of Binajau-Tambacan, spoken in Barangay Tambacan, Iligan City. We divided the morphological analysis into two parts; identifying morphemes and investigating morphological processes. We classify the Sinama dialect of Binajau Tambacan. The data set contains 195 Binajau Tambacan morphemes, which incluing 138 lexical morphemes, 20 grammatical/functional morphemes, and seven bound morphemes. The findings indicate that a variety of morphological processes appear in the Binajau Tambacan. These are: affixations, reduplication, borrowing, and indigenization. Furthermore, the results also indicate that Binajau Tambacan spoken by the Bajau Women has the highest similarity to Central Sinama, at 82%. This lends credence to the notion that it is most likely classified as Central Sinama.
Theorizing Language Evolution Using NCT and Conlangs: An Etiological Study
Authors:   National Institute of Technology, Menon Swathi Sivakumar , Balakrishnan Vinod ,   National Institute of Technology
Published: March 2023

Decades of scholarly work has displaced previously accepted assumptions of the separation of cognitive and cultural, and hence as two separate entities. Notably, interventions of those scholars such as Bouchard, Arbib, and Odling-Smee, have effectively positioned this older and more archaic thinking. In this paper, we posit that the propensity for constructivism in human languages has not been sufficiently studied. To this, we propose Niche Construction Theory, a framework with which to address this gap. We also juxtapose natlangs (natural languages) with conlangs (constructed languages) in order to clarify the effectiveness of each. To facilitate this discussion, we propose the following points: Conlang origins are well-known, the study of conlangs has tangible evidence of manipulation of language elements, and the study of conlangs can further our understanding of natlangs. We draw on multiple fields to effect this anthropological study. Our literature in this paper has invited our use of Bouchard’s concept of Offline Base Systems (OBS) to respond to questions of the characteristics and mechanics of language vis-à-vis ethnological work. For this, we turn to issues of embodiment, to then extend this to other consequences of and motives for developing conlangs and hence language evolution, such as language disabilities and impairments, a field which is still in its infancy. A focus on language construction using conlangs to test OBS promises another avenue to explore language evolution.
Towards a Linguistic Anthropology of Asian Laughters: Correlating two Contexts
Authors:   Tohoku University, YiHui Xia
Published: March 2023

Laughter is a pervasive human behavior that is frequently transcribed into written texts as ‘laughter onomatopoeia’ (LO), to represent the sound of laughter and various emotions within a specific context. Particularly, LO have a rich pragmatic impact on the facilitating of communications (Xia 2021). A such, this study discusses the LO of animation in texts in Chinese contexts, and erects a comparison with its translation into Japanese. In particular, the study focuses on the analysis of the interjection and sentence-final particle as discourse markers in both languages and both cultural contexts. The results of the study suggest that speakers of both Chinese and Japanese employ various LOs to in their pragmatic application of their respective languages, yet these LOs differ between the two languages. For example, in the Chinese context, LOs depicting laughter in social interaction can signify the intention to maintain friendly relations, or to resolve problematic interactions. In the Japanese context, however, speakers laregely avoid LO, as such discourse can increase tensions and antagonism between interlocutors.
Casting Shadows over Malay: Palliating Voice, Palliating the Wayang
Authors: Hadzantonis Michael
Published: March 2023

Wayang Kulit shadow puppetry has, for over one millennium, enacted both political and secular voice, for the maintenance of cultural heritage and social critical opinion. Throughout Malaysia, Wayang has mediated shifts in language ideologies and socialization. Yet, shifts in the Wayang have correlated positively with shifts in the Malay language, in light of Malaysian government efforts to palliate social voice through its control of Wayang and the Malay language and its poetics. This paper addresses the Wayang Kulit and its relevant to the Malay language, as well as its semiotic complexities during performance and in larger society, as a tool for the expansion or suppression of critical social voice. The study exposes these shifts in the Wayang, its stylizations, symbolisms, and its performativities, in the latter 20th century. These changes have aligned with cultural and language shifts, against government attempts to legitimize both pro Islamic and neoliberal ideologies. The data set includes a multi-year ethnography of the Wayang in Malaysia, and a corpus of discussions, documentations, and scripts of Wayang performances and narratives, grounded in an abduction theory methodical framework.
Helming Malaysia:Najib Razak’s Metaphors inMalaysian Supply Bills
Authors:   International Islamic University Malaysia, Rashid Ali Farrah Diebaa
Published: March 2023

This paper discusses the vocational roles constructed by Najib Razak, the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia for himself, his government, and relational identities for the Malaysian people and others, through Supply Bills. I model the study on Charteris-Black’s Critical Metaphor Analysis and Sack’s Membership Categorisation Analysis, as frameworks. The findings indicate that Najib Razak and his government enacted a role as a ship captain, where the Malaysian people were positioned as passengers, sailing in a sea of world economy, and heading towards a status as a high-income developed nation. Through these metaphors, the people were reminded that without the government as helm of the ship, it is to reach the intended destination. Therefore, the use of metaphors in the Supply Bills serve predicative, empathetic, ideological, and mythical purposes, to legitimize both the government and its purposes as agents of governmentality.