Balance System Research Articles

Effect of visual feedback balance system combined with digital treadmill on gait kinematics in patients with subacute cerebral infarction.

Effect of visual feedback balance system combined with digital treadmill on gait kinematics in patients with subacute cerebral infarction.

Satellite Thermal Management Pump Impeller Design and Optimization

This study presents a numerical approach to the design and optimization of centrifugal impellers used in the pumps of active thermal control systems of spacecraft. Although launch costs have shrunk in the last decade, the performance requirements, such as efficiency and reliability, have increased, as such systems are required to work up to 15 years, depending on the mission. To that effect, our paper deals with the first step in this pump design, namely the hydraulic optimization of the impeller. Constructively, this type of impeller allows for certain balancing systems and labyrinth seals to be applied in a more effective way, as well as allowing for additive manufacturing methods to be used—however, details regarding these aspects are beyond the scope of the current paper. By combining empirical formulas, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, and artificial neural networks (ANNs), the research focuses on achieving high efficiency and fast manufacturing. A series of geometries have been sized and validated using steady-state RANS (Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes) simulations, leading to the identification of the most efficient configuration. Subsequent optimization using an ANN resulted in a refined impeller design with notable improvements in hydraulic performance: a 3.55% increase in efficiency and a 7.9% increase in head. Key parameters influencing impeller performance, including blade number, incidence, and backsweep angles, are identified. This approach offers a comprehensive method to address the evolving requirements of space missions and contributes to the advancement of centrifugal pump technology in the space domain.

Load Balancing in Cloud Computing Using Meta Heuristic Algorithm

Cloud computing involves load balancing, a technique for evenly distributing work across a cloud-based environment. Enterprises authorized applications to be managed, with these apps typically developed by the network's provider. The cloud system relies on multiple computers, supporting stakeholders in utilizing it for load balancing. It ensures virtual machines remain balanced, effectively distributing the workload among them and helping companies handle network traffic and workload issues. The load balancing system reduces imbalances among virtual machines, using the Bat algorithm to encrypt essential load balancing features. Our paper presents these techniques as a meta-heuristic algorithm. Keywords— Cloud Computing, Load Balancing, Virtual Machines, Workload.

Salicylic Acid and Calcium Chloride Seed Priming: A Prominent Frontier in Inducing Mineral Nutrition Balance and Antioxidant System Capacity to Enhance the Tolerance of Barley Plants to Salinity.

The current investigation aims to underline the impact of salicylic acid or calcium chloride seed pre-treatments on mineral status and oxidative stress markers, namely levels of electrolyte leakage (EL) and lipid peroxidation levels, measured as thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS), and the activity of some antioxidant enzymes in roots and leaves of plants in two barley species grown under various salt treatments. Overall, our results revealed that salinity inhibits essential nutrient absorption such as iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium and stimulates the absorption of sodium. Also, this environmental constraint induced oxidative stress in plants in comparison with the control conditions. This state of oxidative stress is reflected by an increase in TBARS content as well as the stimulation of EL values. In addition, salinity induced disturbances in the activity of antioxidant enzymes, which were mainly dependent on the applied salt concentration and the species. In addition, Hordeum marinum maintained high antioxidant enzyme activity and low levels of oxidative stress parameters, which reinforces its salt-tolerant character. Importantly, salicylic acid or calcium chloride seed priming alleviated the mineral imbalance and the oxidative damage induced by salinity. Moreover, seed priming improves iron, calcium magnesium and potassium content and limitsthe accumulation of sodium. Also, both treatments not only decrease TBARS levels and limit EL, but they also stimulate the antioxidant enzyme activities in the leaves and roots of the stressed plants as compared with stressed plants grown from non-primed seeds. Interestingly, the beneficial effects of the mentioned treatments were more notable on Hordeum vulgare species.

Single-Session Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Improves Postural Stability and Reduces Ataxia Symptoms in Spinocerebellar Ataxia.

Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) results in balance and coordination impairment, and current treatments have limited efficacy. Recent evidence suggests that combining postural training with cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation (ctDCS) can improve these symptoms. However, the combined effects of ctDCS and postural training on individuals with spinocerebellar ataxia remain underexplored. Ten volunteers with (SCA type 3) participated in a triple-blind, randomized, crossover study to receive a single session of ctDCS (2mA for 20min) and a sham ctDCS session separated by at least one week. The Biodex Balance System was used to assess balance at each session, measuring overall stability index, anteroposterior stability index, and medial-lateral stability index. As secondary outcomes, cerebellar ataxia symptoms were evaluated using the 8-item Scale for Assessment and Rating of Ataxia. The assessments were conducted before and after each session. The results indicated that ctDCS enhanced the overall stability index when compared to sham ctDCS (Z = -2.10, p = 0.03), although it did not significantly affect the anteroposterior or medial-lateral stability indices. Compared to the baseline, a single session of ctDCS reduced appendicular symptoms related to cerebellar ataxia, as evidenced by improvements in the nose-finger test (Z = -2.07, p = 0.04), fast alternating hand movements (Z = -2.15, p = 0.03), and heel-to-shin slide (Z = -1.91, p = 0.05). In conclusion, our study suggests that a single session of ctDCS, in combination with postural training, can enhance balance and alleviate ataxia symptoms in individuals with cerebellar ataxia. This study was approved by the local research ethics committee (No. 2.877.813) and registered on clinicaltrials.org (NCT04039048 - https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04039048 ) on 2019-07-28.

Identifying the influence of land logistic driver cognitive energy impact on supply chain performance through agent-based simulation

Logistic transports link demand generators, distributors, and producers in a supply chain network (SCN). The existence of logistic transports is critical to ensure whole nodes’ economic sustainability. This study explores the impact of human factors on SCN performance through cognitive energy expenditure (CEE) tracking. Agent-based model (ABM) simulation was used to analyze the impact of CEE from truck driver’s electroencephalography (EEG) data to obtain the postsynaptic potential values, which were then transformed to calorific energy. The fleet agents, retailers and distributor models were built based on the East Java, Indonesia, logistic transport route around Karanglo, Gempol, Bungurasih, and Gubeng. The frequency and the peak value of the EEG data, postsynaptic potential, and energy data indicate the same information. All data indicate that more challenging routes have higher frequency and higher peak values. The ABM simulation of the fleet agents shows balanced CEE throughout entire routes due to the precise rest period and eat scheduling. The average delivery success rate was 8 out of 30 or 26.7 % in each simulation time step. Hence, most goods delivery tasks can be completed by fleet agents in a balanced system. As a consequence, the SCN performance is also balanced due to the fluid inventory shift without overstock and stockouts. The rest and eat periods of a fleet agent were scheduled after the CEE has been peaked. The time lag between rest periods and transport operations has to be maintained to overcome fleet agents task buildup. Task buildup has a potential to decay both transport safety and inventory shift rates. Therefore, the upgrade in SCN performance is possible through proper fleet agents scheduling

Coprime Factor Model Reduction of Multidimensional Systems

In this work, the right coprime factor for balancing and truncating unstable systems is extended to parameter-varying multidimensional systems employing recent works on coprime factor model reduction of one-dimensional uncertain systems. Since the balanced truncation method cannot be applied directly to unstable systems, state feedback gains should be computed and incorporated in order to stabilize the given system and to be able to apply the balanced truncation technique via defining the so-called stable coprime factor, as coprime factorization overcomes the stability condition required for model reduction. Parameter-dependent state feedback and parameter-dependent Gramians are considered in this work yielding less conservative techniques. In addition, the Gramians are defined as block diagonal matrices, which are partitioned according to the structure of the multidimensional systems. The application to a simulation example demonstrates the applicability and validity of the proposed reduction approach leading to small error bounds between the full and the reduced models.

Kegiatan Pemeriksaan Fisik Kesehatan Telinga dalam Rangka Deteksi Dini Otitis Media Supuratif Kronik pada Populasi Lanjut Usia

Maintaining overall body health, including ear hygiene, is very important. The ear is an important organ in the human balance and hearing system. The human ear has self-cleaning capabilities, facilitated by cerumen, which occurs naturally to protect and keep the ear canal moist. However, too much or too little cerumen production can cause complaints such as decreased hearing, itching, and dry ear canals. Cleaning your ears yourself, which often involves inserting objects into the ear canal, can be dangerous. Improper use of cotton buds can push the cerumen deeper, causing blockages and increasing the risk of injury. This activity employs the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) method to conduct ear health screening for cerumen and tympanic membranes on 61 participants at the Hana Nursing Home. The physical examination results revealed that we could not assess 6 (9.8%) right tympanic membranes, 8 (13.1%) left tympanic membranes, 19 (31.1%) right ear canals, and 21 (34.4%) right ear canals. The participant's left has prop cerumen. Increased awareness and physical examination of the ear, as early detection can improve ear health and prevent ear injury.

Effect of Whole-body Vibration on Changing Foot Position and Postural Stability in Young Adults - Comparative Study.

Whole-body vibration is commonly used in physiotherapy. The vibration platform generates mechanical stimuli that primarily influence the neuromuscular system. Vibration can improve proprioception and balance. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of whole-body vibration on foot position and postural stability. A group of 31 participants took part in 6 vibration sessions at 15Hz and 30Hz over 2 weeks. Foot position parameters (angle and distance) and postural stability indicators before and after vibration were assessed on the Biodex Balance System. Vibration was performed on the Galileo Med35 platform (3x3 min). A control group consisted of 26 people who were only assessed on the Biodex platform. There was no change in the angle of both feet (p>0.05) after vibration at the frequency of 15 Hz. The angle of the right foot increased (p=0.013) after vibration at 30 Hz. Vibration increased the distance between the feet for both 15Hz (p=0.000) and 30Hz (p=0.000) sessions. There was no correlation between the change in feet spacing and the change in the overall stability index, anteroposterior stability index and mediolateral stability index (p>0.05). In the control group, no changes (p>0.05) in the angle and foot spacing were noted between consecutive measurements. 1. Whole body vibration can increase the width of quadrilateral of support in static conditions but has a minimal effect on changing the angle of the feet. 2. The width of the quadrilateral of support after whole-body vibration does not appear to affect postural stability under static conditions. 3. It is recommended that postural stability is assessed before and after whole body vibration while the initial position of the feet is maintained.

Tropical gastropod density and diversity in the mangrove forest of Totobo Village, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract. Purnama MF, Prayitno SB, Muskananfola MR, Suryanti. 2024. Tropical gastropod density and diversity in the mangrove forest of Totobo Village, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 25: 1663-1675. The mangrove ecosystem of Totobo Village, Southeast Sulawesi, is a habitat for various species of edible and economically important gastropods. This research aims to determine mangrove gastropods' density and ecological index (diversity). This research was carried out from June to September 2023 in the mangrove ecosystem of Totobo. This research adopts purposive sampling and systematic random sampling techniques to determine stations and place the distribution of sampling points (sub-stations). The gastropod sample collection was done using the handpicking method or manually. More than 34 species of gastropods (14 families and 24 genera) were found in the mangrove ecosystem of Totobo. The diversity index (H' = 3.07) of gastropods in the Totobo mangrove ecosystem is directly proportional to the species richness value (R = 4.43), which is in the high category. The evenness index is in the medium category (E = 0.89), and the dominance index (C) has a value of 0.01, meaning no dominance of a particular species. The condition described is a representation of a system of homeostasis or environmental balance that is currently being maintained. This directly impacts the optimal biological activity (physiology) of the gastropod community and other aquatic organisms in the mangrove ecosystem (estuary) of Totobo Village.

Variation in the surface heat flux on the north and south slopes of Mount Qomolangma

The distinctive conditions present on the north and south slopes of Mount Qomolangma, along with the intricate variations in the underlying surfaces, result in notable variations in the surface energy flux patterns of the two slopes. In this paper, data from TESEBS (Topographical Enhanced Surface Energy Balance System), remote sensing data from eight cloud-free scenarios, and observational data from nine stations are utilized to examine the fluctuations in the surface heat flux on both slopes. The inclusion of MCD43A3 satellite data enhances the surface albedo, contributing to more accurate simulation outcomes. The model results are validated using observational data. The RMSEs of the net radiation, ground heat, sensible heat, and latent heat flux are 40.73, 17.09, 33.26, and 30.91 W m−2, respectively. The net radiation flux is greater on the south slope and exhibits a rapid decline from summer to autumn. Due to the influence of the monsoon, on the north slope, the maximum sensible heat flux occurs in the pre-monsoon period in summer and the maximum latent heat flux occurs during the monsoon. The south slope experiences the highest latent heat flux in summer. The dominant flux on the north slope is sensible heat, while it is latent heat on the south slope. The seasonal variations in the ground heat flux are more pronounced on the south slope than on the north slope. Except in summer, the ground heat flux on the north slope surpasses that on the south slope.摘要珠穆朗玛峰南北坡独特的地形条件和复杂的下垫面, 导致了南北坡地表通量分布的显著差异. 本文利用地形增强地表能量平衡模式 (Topographical Enhanced Surface Energy Balance System (TESEBS)), 遥感数据和站点观测数据, 对季风和非季风期南北坡的地表热通量变化进行了研究. 首先, 把MCD43A3卫星数据加入TESEBS, 改进了地表反照率, 使模拟结果更准确. 受季风影响, 北坡季风期感热通量最大值出现在季风前期, 潜热通量最大值出现在季风期. 南坡季风期潜热通量最大. 全年北坡以感热交换为主, 南坡以潜热交换为主. 土壤热通量的季节变化在南坡比北坡更明显.

Enhanced Ball Trajectory Tracking Using Visual Servoing with 2-DOF Ball on Plate Balancing System

Enhanced Ball Trajectory Tracking Using Visual Servoing with 2-DOF Ball on Plate Balancing System

Exploring the Performance of ChatGPT-4 in the Taiwan Audiologist Qualification Examination: Preliminary Observational Study Highlighting the Potential of AI Chatbots in Hearing Care.

Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, such as ChatGPT-4, have shown immense potential for application across various aspects of medicine, including medical education, clinical practice, and research. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of ChatGPT-4 in the 2023 Taiwan Audiologist Qualification Examination, thereby preliminarily exploring the potential utility of AI chatbots in the fields of audiology and hearing care services. ChatGPT-4 was tasked to provide answers and reasoning for the 2023 Taiwan Audiologist Qualification Examination. The examination encompassed six subjects: (1) basic auditory science, (2) behavioral audiology, (3) electrophysiological audiology, (4) principles and practice of hearing devices, (5) health and rehabilitation of the auditory and balance systems, and (6) auditory and speech communication disorders (including professional ethics). Each subject included 50 multiple-choice questions, with the exception of behavioral audiology, which had 49 questions, amounting to a total of 299 questions. The correct answer rates across the 6 subjects were as follows: 88% for basic auditory science, 63% for behavioral audiology, 58% for electrophysiological audiology, 72% for principles and practice of hearing devices, 80% for health and rehabilitation of the auditory and balance systems, and 86% for auditory and speech communication disorders (including professional ethics). The overall accuracy rate for the 299 questions was 75%, which surpasses the examination's passing criteria of an average 60% accuracy rate across all subjects. A comprehensive review of ChatGPT-4's responses indicated that incorrect answers were predominantly due to information errors. ChatGPT-4 demonstrated a robust performance in the Taiwan Audiologist Qualification Examination, showcasing effective logical reasoning skills. Our results suggest that with enhanced information accuracy, ChatGPT-4's performance could be further improved. This study indicates significant potential for the application of AI chatbots in audiology and hearing care services.

Efficacy of balance exercises intervention on postural control-related impairment in children with sensorineural hearing loss.

Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common type of permanent hearing impairment and results in postural control and motor deficits in children that may affect or delay all developmental indicators. The purpose of the study was to investigate the efficacy of balance exercises intervention on postural control-related impairment in children with sensorineural hearing loss. Forty students of both genders, ages ranging from 10 to 16 years, diagnosed with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss, were selected from the Public School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in El-Minia district, Minia governorate, Egypt. They divided randomly into two groups, 20 (study group), received balance exercises in addition to their ordinary daily living activities. Meanwhile, the control group of 20 children practiced only the ordinary daily living activities. The outcome was assessed pre-treatment and post-treatment by Humac Balance System and Bruininks-Oseretsky Test (BOT-2) subtest (5) for balance. Regarding the Humac balance system and subtest (5) of BOT-2, there was a statistically significant difference between pre-treatment data and post-treatment data of the study group with a p value equal to 0.036 or less. However, no statistically significant difference was observed in the control group with a p value equal to 0.096 or more. Finally, there was a statistically significant difference between the groups with respect to the post-treatment data, where the p value was 0.014 or less. Postural control of children with sensorineural hearing loss has been improved by balance exercises.

The role of ion homeostasis in adaptation and tolerance to acetic acid stress in yeasts.

Maintenance of asymmetric ion concentrations across cellular membranes is crucial for proper yeast cellular function. Disruptions of these ionic gradients can significantly impact membrane electrochemical potential and the balance of other ions, particularly under stressful conditions such as exposure to acetic acid. This weak acid, ubiquitous to both yeast metabolism and industrial processes, is a major inhibitor of yeast cell growth in industrial settings and a key determinant of host colonization by pathogenic yeast. Acetic acid toxicity depends on medium composition, especially on the pH (H+ concentration), but also on other ions' concentrations. Regulation of ion fluxes is essential for effective yeast response and adaptation to acetic acid stress. However, the intricate interplay among ion balancing systems and stress response mechanisms still presents significant knowledge gaps. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms governing ion homeostasis, including H+, K+, Zn2+, Fe2+/3+, and acetate, in the context of acetic acid toxicity, adaptation, and tolerance. While focus is given on Saccharomyces cerevisiae due to its extensive physiological characterization, insights are also provided for biotechnologically and clinically relevant yeast species whenever available.

Reliability modeling of [formula omitted]-out-of-[formula omitted]: [formula omitted] balanced systems with common bus performance sharing

This study examines the reliability of k-out-of-n: F balanced systems incorporating common bus performance sharing. The system comprises m sectors, with each sector containing n components. Each component has multiple performance levels to fulfill random demands. All components are interconnected through a common bus, enabling the surplus performance from certain components to be transmitted to deficient components via the bus. The system remains balanced as long as the difference in the number of functional components between any two sectors does not exceed a threshold d. A sector fails when the number of nonfunctional components reaches k, and the entire system fails if either Kf sectors fail or the system becomes unbalanced, whichever occurs first. Existing studies primarily focus on forcing-down functional components or activating standby components as the primary means of maintaining balance, which often leads to component wastage. However, performance sharing can also achieve rebalancing in practice. This study contributes by developing reliability models for performance sharing in balanced systems and proposing algorithms to determine the optimal performance sharing policy maximizing system reliability. The universal generating function is utilized to calculate the balance probability and system reliability. Furthermore, a case study involving a wing system in a Solar-powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.

Degradation of structural safety levels in prototype balanced beam systems

Post-tensioned balanced beam structures are very sensitive to natural deterioration and excessive environmental attacks, which can lead to relatively rapid drops in safety levels. Since partial failure or corrosion of pre-stressing tendons can be difficult to detect, the strategy of last resort to ensure that safety levels are acceptable remains to perform a mechanical load test, with the risks that this entails. In the case of some iconic balanced beam systems, destructive investigations are further limited by the need to comply with the deontological standards valid for cultural heritage structures. The capacity and robustness of balanced beam systems can therefore be estimated by relying primarily on accurate mechanical models and sensitivity analyses against scenarios that may degrade safety. To this end, reference models can be corroborated by information from various sources, including experimental campaigns and archives. This study, in particular, focuses on the evaluation of the residual capacity offered by Morandi's prototype balanced beam scheme, to aid prognosis, and possibly support “decision-making” for possible reuse. Finally, an experimental and numerical application to the most complex post-tensioned concrete balanced beam system ever designed by Riccardo Morandi is presented, i.e. the roofing system of Pavilion V of Torino Esposizioni dating back to the late 1950 s.

Quality 5.0: Towards sustainable quality improvement in organizations


 
 
 The concept of Quality 5.0 in management sciences has emerged relatively recently. It is an attempt to respond to the limitations attributed to Quality 4.0, which focuses on industry and the use of advanced technologies mainly in production processes. Quality 5.0 goes beyond this framework and introduces an equally strong human and social factor. The article defines the concept of Quality 5.0 in relation to quality improvement in organizations and presents the author’s conceptual model of Quality 5.0 as a sustainable concept for quality improvement. The proposed model consists of 12 attributes of Quality 5.0, divided into four categories: (1) Balanced Techno-Human Centric Management System: agile and aware leadership, real-time data decision making, continuous improvement; (2) Human: empowerment, creativity, diversity; (3) Process: integration, efficiency, flexibility; (4) Technology: analytics, connectivity, and scalability. In the Quality 5.0 model, the organization supports the Triple Bottom Line of Sustainable Development through value co-creation, problem-solving, cooperation, and innovation.
 
 

"BIG DATA SOHASIDA SUNʼIY INTELLEKTNING HUQUQ VA MAJBURIYATLARI: MUAMMOLAR HAMDA YECHIMLAR "

"This article is devoted to analyzing problems and potential solutions in the regulation of the rights and responsibilities of artificial intelligence (AI) in the context of the processing and analysis of Big Data. We explore the legal and ethical aspects of accountability, transparency, non-discrimination, and protection of personal data in the use of AI. The research examines existing legal frameworks, and we propose measures that have the potential to improve them significantly, including the development of specific legislation, the establishment of independent audit mechanisms, the establishment of transparency and accountability requirements, and the promotion of international cooperation. Particular attention is paid to the role of transparency and accountability principles in AI regulation. The features of regulation of AI and Big Data in Uzbekistan are analyzed. It is concluded that with these promising measures, it is necessary to create an effective and balanced regulatory system that ensures the development of innovative technologies and the protection of human rights in the digital age. "

Pristine and UV-Weathered PET Microplastics as Water Contaminants: Appraising the Potential of the Fenton Process for Effective Remediation

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics constitute a significant portion of plastic pollution in the environment and pose substantial environmental challenges. In this study, the effectiveness of the Fenton process and post-oxidation coagulation for the removal of non-weathered and UV-weathered PET microplastics (PET MPs) were investigated. A response surface methodology was used to investigate the interplay between PET concentration and ferrous ion (Fe2+) concentration. The models revealed an intricate interplay between these variables, highlighting the need for a balanced system for optimal PET MP removal. For non-weathered PET, the simultaneous increase in the concentrations of both PET microplastics and Fe2+ was found to enhance the removal efficiency. However, this synergistic effect was not observed in UV-weathered PET, which also demonstrated a more pronounced effect from the Fe2+ concentration. The statistical analysis provided a strong basis for the validity of the models. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) further elucidated the mechanisms behind these findings, revealing that UV weathering results in surface changes, which facilitate hydroxyl radical oxidation. These findings underline the complexity of the Fenton process in PET microplastic removal and the different behavior of non-weathered and UV-weathered microplastics. This has significant implications for tailoring remediation strategies and underscores the importance of considering environmental weathering in these strategies.