Calculated Research Articles

Error estimation for 2-D crack analysis by utilizing an enriched natural element method

This paper presents an error estimation technique for 2-D crack analysis by an enriched natural element (more exactly, enriched Petrov-Galerkin NEM). A bare solution was approximated by PG-NEM using Laplace interpolation functions. Meanwhile, an accurate quasi-exact solution was obtained by a combined use of enriched PG-NEM and the global patch recovery. The Laplace interpolation functions are enriched with the near-tip singular fields, and the approximate solution obtained by enriched PG-NEM was enhanced by the global patch recovery. The quantitative error amount is measured in terms of the energy norm, and the accuracy (i.e., the effective index) of the proposed method was evaluated using the errors which obtained by FEM using a very fine mesh. The error distribution was investigated by calculating the local element-wise errors, from which it has been found that the relative high errors occurs in the vicinity of crack tip. The differences between the enriched and non-enriched PG-NEMs have been investigated from the effective index, the error distribution, and the convergence rate. From the comparison, it has been justified that the enriched PG-NEM provides much more accurate error information than the non-enriched PG-NEM.

Robust concurrent topology optimization of multiscale structure under load position uncertainty

Concurrent topology optimization of macrostructure and microstructure has attracted significant interest due to its high structural performance. However, most of the existing works are carried out under deterministic conditions, the obtained design may be vulnerable or even cause catastrophic failure when the load position exists uncertainty. Therefore, it is necessary to take load position uncertainty into consideration in structural design. This paper presents a computational method for robust concurrent topology optimization with consideration of load position uncertainty. The weighted sum of the mean and standard deviation of the structural compliance is defined as the objective function with constraints are imposed to both macro- and micro-scale structure volume fractions. The Bivariate Dimension Reduction method and Gauss-type quadrature (BDRGQ) are used to quantify and propagate load uncertainty to calculate the objective function. The effective properties of microstructure are evaluated by the numerical homogenization method. To release the computation burden, the decoupled sensitivity analysis method is proposed for microscale design variables. The bi-directional evolutionary structural optimization (BESO) method is used to obtain the black-and-white designs. Several 2D and 3D examples are presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed robust concurrent topology optimization method.

Performance of BMSC column with large eccentricity under natural exposure conditions

As a new type of concrete material, basic magnesium sulfate cement concrete (BMSC) has the advantages, such as early strength, high strength, good toughness and crack resistance. However, it is unclear about the degradation of the mechanical properties of BMSC columns, which is exposed to the natural environment for several years. In order to apply this new concrete to practical engineering, six large-eccentricity compressive columns of BMSC were studied. The mechanical properties such as the crack propagation, failure morphology, lateral displacement and bearing capacity of BMSC column were studied. The results show that the degradation rate of ultimate load of BMSC column is from 6% to 7%. The degradation rate of the stiffness of the column is from 6% to 13%. With the increase of compressive strength of BMSC, the axial displacement and lateral displacement are gradually reduced. The calculation model of bearing capacity of the BMSC column under the large eccentric compression is proposed. This paper provides a reference for the application of BMSC columns in the civil engineering.

Excitation Functions of Some Nuclear Reactions of 131Cs Radioisotope Production

Nükleer fizikteki sürekli devam eden gelişmeler nükleer teknolojiye önemli katkılar sağlamakta ve bağlantılı olan birçok alanda da önemli gelişmeler olmasını sağlamaktadır. Bunun başlıca sebepleri çekirdeğin yapısı ve özelliklerinin anlaşılması ile nükleer reaksiyonların fiziksel teorilerinin geliştirilmesidir. Özellikle sağlık ve teknoloji alanında kullanılan nükleer reaksiyonların tesir kesitlerinin bilinmesi, reaksiyonun olası sonuçlarının kullanılması hakkında fikir vermektedir. Bazı durumlarda nükleer reaksiyonların tesir kesitlerini deneysel olarak bulmak hem maliyet hem koşullar bakımından mümkün olmaz. Reaksiyon tesir kesitleri, teorik olarak çeşitli nükleer reaksiyon kodlarıyla hesaplanmaktadır. Kanser tedavisinde kullanılan diğer radyoizotoplara göre 131Cs, daha kısa yarı ömre ve daha yüksek enerjiye sahip olmasından dolayı son yıllarda kanser tedavilerinde kullanılmaya başlanılmıştır. Bu çalışmada 131Cs radyoizotopunun elde edilmesinde kullanılan, deneysel verileri EXFOR kütüphanesinde mevcut olan 133Cs(γ,2n), 133Cs(p,x), 127I(α,γ) ve 131Xe(p,n) reaksiyonlarının uyarılma fonksiyonları incelenmiştir. TALYS 1.95 nükleer kod programı ile elde edilen teorik sonuçlar ile EXFOR veri kütüphanesinden alınan veriler karşılaştırılmıştır.

Leishmaniose visceral em Sobral, Ceará: análise epidemiológica comparativa de dois quinquênios

Objetivo: Realizar uma análise epidemiológica comparativa dos casos de Leishmaniose Visceral (LV) no município de Sobral. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo descritivo, documental e de caráter quantitativo. Foram utilizados dados, referentes aos períodos de 2009 a 2013 e de 2014 a 2018, fornecidos pelo Ministério da Saúde (MS), através do Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (SINAN). Os dados de cada variável foram analisados por meio da estatística descritiva, através do cálculo da média, do desvio padrão e de percentis, por ano de ocorrência. Por fim, os resultados de cada quinquênio analisado foram comparados entre si. Resultados: Houve uma queda de 19,59% na taxa incidência, de 28,52% na taxa de mortalidade e de 11,42% no Coeficiente de Letalidade de LV. O predomínio da doença no sexo masculino, na faixa etária pediátrica, em indivíduos pardos e de baixa escolaridade se manteve. Além disso, houve uma inversão do fenômeno da urbanização. Conclusão: A redução das taxas de incidência, mortalidade e letalidade da doença no município refletem uma melhora do sistema de saúde, da prevenção ao diagnóstico e tratamento. No entanto, tais taxas ainda permanecem elevadas quando comparada com outras regiões e o caráter de endemia da doença no município ainda se mantém.

A inserção de servidores com deficiência em duas universidades federais catarinenses

Este estudo trata sobre o estímulo à inclusão social, sob a ótica da inserção das pessoas com deficiência (PCDs) nos quadros de pessoal de instituições públicas. Nesse cenário, o artigo tem como objetivo analisar comparativamente como está estruturada a política de reserva de vagas nas duas universidades federais catarinenses. Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva, de natureza qualitativa, realizada por meio da análise documental da legislação, dos editais de concursos públicos e das relações de candidatos nomeados em cada certame. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram diferença no percentual destinado à reserva, que na UFSC aplica-se o máximo legal permitido de 20% e, na UFFS, o mínimo de 5%. A primeira aplica a porcentagem considerando o número total de vagas disponíveis no edital e, a segunda, calcula de acordo com o número de vagas disponíveis em cada cargo/especialidade/localidade. Constatou-se que a UFFS está em desacordo com a legislação, acarretando a diminuição da oferta de vagas reservadas e, consequentemente, de nomeação de candidatos com deficiência. Não há, porém, como afirmar que a inserção dessas pessoas torna a instituição inclusiva, mas o indicativo de ter mais PCDs inseridas na comunidade universitária é um fator impulsionador de transformações benéficas.

POLÍTICAS DE EVALUACIÓN ESTANDARIZADA Y GOBERNANZA “EMPRESARIAL” EN EDUCACIÓN

Este artículo analiza las políticas de evaluación estandarizadas que se siguen implantando en todo el mundo, como uno de los mecanismos más incisivos del nuevo paradigma de “gobernanza neoliberal” educativa. Indagando cómo este modelo de evaluación está demandando una nueva gestión al estilo “empresarial” de los centros educativos, acompañada por un discurso que proclama la necesaria descentralización y autonomía educativa de los centros. Pero no se refiere a una autonomía pedagógica, sino de financiación. Una descentralización, pero sin recursos. En este contexto, resurge la denominada “Nueva Gestión Pública”, como mecanismo de gobernanza de los servicios públicos, aplicada a la educación. En el texto se explora cómo operan estos dispositivos, que “hacen hacer” y que se convierten en herramientas de control social. Puesto que requieren la participación activa de los involucrados e imponen una “racionalidad” orientada a “gobernarse” bajo la presión de la competición, de acuerdo con el principio de cálculo del máximo interés individual. Finalmente, en sentido propositivo, este artículo plantea la necesidad de otro enfoque de la evaluación y la gestión educativa posible y necesario, desde un modelo democrático e inclusivo

MANGO-SEED EXTRACT AND SULPHITES AS PROMOTERS OF COLOR AND BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS RETENTION DURING TRAY DRYING OF MANGO SLICES

The study objective was to evaluate effect of mango-seed extract alone or in combination with sodium metabisulphite on the content of vitamin C, free phenols, six phenols compounds, and total carotenes, and color in mango slices dried at 60oC until 15% moisture. From drying curves were calculated effective diffusivities [1.17-1.35x10-9 m2•s-1] and drying rate constants [1.53±0.90x10-3-2.27±0.80x10-3] using Midilli’s model. Results showed that combination of mango-seed extract with sodium metabisulphite has an important role in retention of vitamin C and carotenes, and an enrichment of phenolic compounds was found in dried mango slices.

Effect of maternal mental health during pregnancy on infant growth at six months of age in Suburban communities in South of Iran.

Background: Due to the controversial effects of mental health disorders during pregnancy on infant health, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of gestational depression, stress, and anxiety on the growth of offspring at six months of age in disadvantaged communities in South of Iran. Methods: The sample comprised of 470 pregnant women (response rate=98%) who are participated in the Bandar Abbas Pregnancy Cohort study. Maternal mental health was measured by the DASS-21 questionnaire during pregnancy. Data on infant growth was collected based on infant`s growth chart at six months of age. The relative risk of suboptimal infant growth was calculated by Modified Poisson regression models at 5% significant level. Results: The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 19.0%, 26.1% and 6.5%, respectively. At six months of age, the mean (SD) of infant`s weight (gram), height (cm) and head circumference (cm) were 7287.30 (1019.85), 63.23 (5.62) and 41.39 (2.70), respectively. Compared to normal mothers, the risk of suboptimal weight at six months of age significantly increased by 71% in mothers who were classified as having depression (Adjusted RR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.07, 2.09). The presence of anxiety significantly increased the risk of suboptimal height at six months of age by 43% (ARR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.92). There were no statistically significant effects of either depression anxiety or stress on the suboptimal head circumference at six months of age. Conclusion: Our results showed that mental health disorders of pregnant women might adversely influence the weight and height growth of offspring within the first six months of age. Screening protocols to early diagnose of mental health disorders during pregnancy, and to strict follow up of diagnosed cases postpartum are proposed.

A Study on DEM-based Automatic Calculation of Earthwork Volume for BIM Application

A Study on DEM-based Automatic Calculation of Earthwork Volume for BIM Application

Numerical Analysis Technique for Stiffness Parameters Identification of Spatial Structures by Minimizing the Difference between the Calculated (Finite Element) and Natural Dynamic Characteristics

В статье приводится описание разработанной математически формализованной численно-аналитиче­ской методики идентификации параметров жесткости пространственных конструкций на основе минимизации расхождений расчетных и натурных динамических характеристик. Методика позволяет решать обратные некорректные динамические задачи параметрической идентификации жесткостных характеристик пространственных конструкций на основе инструментально выявленных частот и форм собственных колебаний значимой части спектра с применением современных численных методов моделирования механических систем и процедур нелинейного программирования, реализованных в универсальных программных комплексах ANSYS Mechanical и MATLAB. Методика основана на оригинальной формулировке задачи нелинейного программирования с ограничениями в виде неравенств для расчетных частот собственных колебаний. На начальном этапе, до старта минимизации, предусмотрено выделение приоритетных компонент минимизации, что позволяет решать динамические обратные задачи в условиях «контрастного» изменения значимой части спектра и кратно увеличить вычислительную эффективность процесса минимизации. Подход применим для исследования сложных расчетных схем. Методика может применяться как составная часть информационно-аналитико-математических моделей цифровых двойников (digital twins) на этапе валидации, идентификации математических моделей реальных, структурно сложных строительных объектов в составе современных систем динамического мониторинга.

Anthropometric characteristics of male rink hockey goalkeeper’s according to their competitive level

Objective: Evaluate the anthropometric characteristics of male rink hockey goalkeepers, and to compare the variation according to their competitive level (international vs. non-international).
 Methods: Body mass, stature, sitting height, arm span, waist and hip circumferences and four skinfold measurements (triceps, medial calf, subscapular and supraspinale) of international (n = 12) and non-international (n = 23) goalkeepers were taken. Body mass index (BMI, weight/height2), the sum of four skinfolds, the sitting height/stature ratio, waist/hip ratio and the relative arm span were also calculated.
 Results: International rink hockey goalkeepers have lower values of subcutaneous adiposity for the sum of the four skinfolds (P = 0.042; d = 0.76) particularly in the triceps (P = 0.016; d = 0.87) and are taller than non-international goalkeepers (+3.8 cm [2.2%]; 180.5 ± 7.0 vs. 176.6 ± 4.8 cm; t = 1.920; P = 0.064; d = 0.65).
 Conclusion: The findings could indicate that stature and body fat may have important implications for scouts regarding the selection process and coaches that work with players on developing performance. Future research should investigate the extent to which different anthropometric measures influence performance in rink hockey goalkeepers.

RANCANG BANGUN ALAT PEMBERI PAKAN KUCING OTOMATIS MENGGUNAKAN MIKROKONTROLER NODEMCU BERBASIS INTERNET OF THING (IoT)

The implementation and utilization of the Internet of Things in the world of electronics have been very numerous and are still growing. The function of the IoT itself is to simplify human work, monitor various equipment remotely, and increase the effectiveness of tools. In this study, a tool was made to monitor and provide feed to pet cats that can be accessed remotely by the user. The background of making this tool is due to several things in cat maintenance activities, such as irregular feeding schedules, difficulty controlling pet development, difficulty controlling feed availability, difficulty calculating feed requirements, and frequent breeders doing other activities or work outside the home. The method used in this research is the Research and Development method. The advantage or performance of this tool lies in the combination of several automatic functions which include feeding and notification. The combination of some of these functions includes the existence of a NodeMCU microcontroller that is integrated with the internet network, and this automation tool can provide real time feed by utilizing the RTC component which can set the time when the feed will be given. Users will also get direct notifications via Foxpush without having to open a web page to find out whether the feed has been completed or not. After performing various tests, the average success rate of the whole system was 68%.

Reproductive traits of the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium amazonicum (Decapoda: Palaemonidae) in an isolated water reservoir

The aim of this study was to analyze the reproductive period, fecundity, egg size and reproductive output (RO) of a hololimnetic population of Macrobrachium amazonicum. The prawns were collected monthly, from May 2017 to April 2018, in a water reservoir isolated from river connections, in Severinia (20o49’31.92” S, 48o49’39.55” W), Sao Paulo, Brazil. Ovigerous females were preserved individually in 70% ethanol. The reproductive period was calculated based on the monthly percentage of ovigerous females. The egg mass was weighed and partially measured. The eggs were counted and classified according to the embryonic developmental stage. The reproductive output was calculated individually by dividing the dry weight of females without eggs by the mass of eggs. The reproductive period was continuous, with peaks in the dry season. Egg volume differed among stages and seasons (ANCOVA, p < 0.05), being larger in the rainy season. The reproductive output differed between seasons (rainy: 12.5 ± 4.8%; dry: 13.9 ± 5.4%, p < 0.05), as well as fecundity (rainy: 585 ± 304 eggs; dry: 613 ± 306 eggs, p < 0.05). We concluded that the reproductive traits of this population differ from those of other populations of M. amazonicum previously studied, and that these differences may be consequences of the isolation of this population.

Avaliando efeitos do pareamento entre estímulos via software para promover atenção a vozes em crianças diagnosticadas com Transtorno do Espectro Autista

Crianças com o diagnóstico de Transtorno do Espectro Autista (TEA) comumente desempenham com menos precisão as atividades que envolvem discriminações auditivas. As habilidades que precedem esse repertório podem ser avaliadas com alguns testes, entre eles se destaca o ABLA-R. O objetivo do presente estudo foi explorar a eficácia de um aplicativo desenvolvido para o estudo no aumento da exposição a vozes através de pareamentos estímulo-estímulo com três crianças que mostraram baixa exposição a vozes. A porcentagem de exposição foi calculada a partir do tempo que cada criança permanecia escutando o áudio de vozes dividido pelo total de áudios apresentados na sessão. O procedimento era composto por sondas de verificação a exposição a vozes após ciclos de pareamento voz-reforço. Os resultados mostraram efeitos moderados e temporários, sugerindo que o procedimento de pareamento estímulo-estímulo isolado não é suficiente para o aumento na exposição a vozes em crianças com níveis ABLA-R menores ao Nível 4. É apontada a necessidade de inclusão de outros procedimentos em conjunto com o condicionamento de vozes.

A New Subdomain Method for Performances Computation in Interior Permanent-Magnet (IPM) Machines

In this research work, an improved two-dimensional semi-analytical subdomain based method for performance computation in IPM machine considering infinite-/finite-magnetic material permeability in pseudo-Cartesian coordinates by using hyperbolic functions has been presented. In the developed technique, all subdomains are divided into periodic or non-periodic regions with homogeneous or non-homogeneous boundary conditions (BCs), respectively. Taking into account the appropriate interfaces conditions in the presented coordinates system, the machine performances including magnetic flux density, cogging/electromagnetic torque, back-EMF, and self-/mutual induction have been calculated for three distinct values of soft-magnetic material relative permeability (viz, 200, 800 and ∞). The semi-analytical results are compared and confirmed by the FEA results.

Estrutura e síndromes de dispersão da vegetação arbórea em floresta nativa e agrofloresta, na Amazônia Meridional: Structure and dispersal syndromes of forest and agroforest

The choice of native species used in the management of agroforestry systems for the recovery of anthropized environments, are fundamental for maintaining biodiversity and ecological processes. In this study, we evaluated the structural complexity and diversity of plants in a teak agroforestry, compared to a native forest tangent to the planted area. Thus, we set up 33 plots in the area of ​​native forest and 24 in agroforestry, both with dimensions of 10 × 10 m, at Fazenda Sao Nicolau, Cotriguacu, Mato Grosso, Brazil. We collected data on the structure of vegetation and calculated the descriptive phytosociological parameters of the community structure. We used i) PCoA to evaluate the floristic similarity between native forest and agroforestry, ii) GLM to determine the influence of the canopy opening on the vegetation structure, and iii) ANOVA to analyze the structural characteristics by dispersion syndrome. We registered 395 tree individuals belonging to 98 species and 35 families, including the exotic species Tectona grandis. We considered abundance and the basal area in relation to the dispersion syndrome, where we noticed, the zoocoria significantly higher when compared to anemocoria and autocoria. Thus, we consider the zoochoric dispersion syndrome as a factor that best explains the relationship between the types of forests in the Southern Amazon.

A Study on Development of Damage Impact Distance Calculation Formula to Determine Evacuation and Notification of Residents in Case of Ammonia Release Accident

A Study on Development of Damage Impact Distance Calculation Formula to Determine Evacuation and Notification of Residents in Case of Ammonia Release Accident

A Research on the Probabilistic Calculation Method of River Topographic Factors

A Research on the Probabilistic Calculation Method of River Topographic Factors

Assessment of financial impact of anti-cancer drug wastage for pediatric hematologic malignancies as a result of inappropriate dosage forms

Background: Considering the high-cost nature of cancer especially in developing countries and pediatrics, it is this vulnerable group and their families who will be burdened with drug wastage costs more. The main aim of this study is to evaluate the financial impact of anticancer drug wastage for pediatric hematologic malignancies because of inappropriate vial sizes. Methods: This is a descriptive-analytical study that has been performed in two university-affiliated hospitals between April2019-March2020 in Iran. First, parenteral chemotherapy drugs which prescribed for pediatrics with hematological cancers were identified. Patients’ demographics and chemotherapy regimen were recorded during saturation point sampling. In second step vial size availability, price and drug stability were recorded. To calculate costs, the weighted average price of branded and generic drugs available in the market were used. Wastage was calculated for each drug by subtraction of prescribed drug dose from the total content of consumed vial(s) during third step. Sensitivity analyses were performed for a range of (±20% and ±SD) the main influential variables. Results: Twelve drugs administered (88 times) were analyzed. The average proportion of drug wastage was 34.4% (0.0-70.0%). Drug waste expenditure was estimated to be 1,739 US$/cycle. Performing sensitivity analysis by a change of ±20% in variables, BSA, weight and drug price were the most effective factors and by a change of ±SD drug price occupied first place. Conclusion: The financial impact of anticancer drug wastage in pediatrics with hematologic malignancies in Iran was estimated in range of 19,402-278,103 US$ annually which is 0.14%-1.98% of Iran revenue from these drugs. Therefore, the prescribed dose and vial sizes mismatch can cause wastage and increase in chemotherapy indirect costs.