Effective Tool Research Articles

MAKING THE PAST SPEAK: ACCELERATION, RESONANCE, AND PRESENCE1

ABSTRACTThis review essay offers an extended analysis of Hartmut Rosa's Resonance: A Sociology of Our Relationship to the World. By proposing a critical theory for our present times, the book dissects modes of being related to the world and how these relations are conditioned by the dynamic of escalation that is inscribed into modern social formations. Rosa argues that the wide‐ranging compulsion to grow, accelerate, and innovate produces a distorted and alienated mode of being in the world, suppressing and limiting possibilities for developing dialogic and responsive relations that are characterized by the concept of resonance. This review essay parses the categorical distinction between alienation and resonance, critically interrogating Rosa's notion that resonant relations form the basis for a good and successful life. While my analysis argues that the structural shortage of resonant relations can make subjects and collectives vulnerable to acting on the promise of resonance—possibly giving rise to problematic and undesired effects—I nonetheless contend that the concept of resonance is an effective explanatory tool that exhibits significant potential for interdisciplinary engagement. To illustrate this potential, I explore the extent to which Rosa's theorizing can illuminate contemporary matters of history and historical temporality. More specifically, I consider the perspective that the framework of resonance provides a comprehensive background for the paradigm of presence and the related surge in interest to theorize bodily and perceptual modes of being connected to the past.

Pandemic, sanctions and anxiety in Russia’s regions: Business expectations nowcasting

The study develops a methodology of business expectations index nowcasting with testing on data for the Russian economy as a whole and its regions. This methodology differs from the existing solutions in that it introduces a Bayesian averaging approach to define a set of search patterns for nowcasting and solves the issue of aggregation of time series by individual queries. The developed indices have shown a high level of adequacy, serving as effective tools to reflect shock events in the country’s economic and political landscape and also as predictors of fluctuations in survey­based expectation indices. The application of the presented methodology has revealed the factors that affect the volatility of business expectations indices depending on the level of development and sectoral specialization of Russian regions. In particular, financial and economic centers of highly developed regions and developed regions with diversified economy show high volatility, while business expectations indices in less developed agrarian and commodity regions show low volatility. These results can be useful for economic policy decisions and are of interest to researchers concerned with economic stability and forecasting.

Cross-Sectional Study to Compare Preoperative Fasting Volume of Gastric Contents by Using Ultrasonography in Non-Diabetic and Diabetic Patients Posted for Elective Surgery

Background: Diabetic patients are known to have gastroparesis and consequent delayed gastric emptying which predisposes them to an increased risk of aspiration as compared to the general population. This study compares the gastric volumes in diabetic and non-diabetic patients using point-of-care ultrasound and correlates it with the HbA1c levels in diabetic patients.
 Methods: This cross-sectional study included 180 patients, 90 diabetic (>5 years) and 90 nondiabetic, aged >40 years, American Society of Anaesthesiologists' physical status I–II kept fasting for 8 hours. Before induction, gastric ultrasound was performed to measure craniocaudal (CC) and anteroposterior (AP) diameters followed by calculation of antral cross-sectional area (CSA) and gastric volume (GV) in right lateral decubitus (RLD) position using curved array probe. In diabetic patients, the gastric volumes were correlated with HbA1c values.
 Results: In the RLD, the mean CC and AP diameters were higher in diabetic Group. The calculated CSA in RLD in diabetics (8.014 ± 2.412 cm2) were significantly higher than non-diabetic (6.314± 2.894 cm2) (p < 0.0001). The calculated GV of 71.501 ± 35.937 ml in the diabetic group was significantly higher than 48.0022± 41.587 ml in the non-diabetic group (p < 0.0001). In diabetics, the gastric volumes showed significant correlation with HbA1c.
 Conclusion: Diabetic patients show higher residual gastric volume as compared to non-diabetic patients indicating gastroparesis. The gastric volumes are further increased in those with poorly controlled disease with high HbA1C levels. Ultrasound is an effective tool in assessing the risk of aspiration and altering anaesthetic management accordingly.

Restoring the Kingdom of Christ: the appropriation of religious and cultural festivals and the construction of the nation under Franco (1936–45)

ABSTRACT In the analysis of the consolidation of the dictatorships that emerged in interwar Europe, religious and cultural festivals have received less attention than the political holidays created from scratch to reinforce their symbolic legitimacy. However, popular celebrations served as an effective tool for the transmission of ideology and the creation of spaces of interaction between the state and the people. This article analyses the different ways in which the Franco dictatorship instrumentalized religiosity and religious and cultural festivals during the years that the regime was under construction (1936–45). The study evaluates the extent to which the appropriation and resignification of popular culture and festive rites helped to consolidate the dictatorship and shape the Franco nation, while examining their impact on daily life and highlighting the subjects’ capacity for agency in the redefinition of celebrations. Drawing on a perspective that combines social and cultural history and anthropology, the article focuses on the complex relationship between religion and nationalism during the Franco period, observing the materialization of specific policies and discourses in people’s lives.

Research on Vehicle Frame Optimization Methods Based on the Combination of Size Optimization and Topology Optimization

The efficient development of electric vehicles is essential to drive society towards sustainable development. Designing a lightweight frame is a key strategy to improve the economy and environment, increase energy efficiency, and reduce carbon emissions. Taking an automatic loading and unloading mixer truck as the research object, a force analysis of its frame was conducted under six typical working conditions. A size optimization method based on a hybrid model of the Kriging model and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is proposed. An approximate model of the mass and maximum stress of the frame was established using the Kriging model, and the Kriging model was optimized by using the multi-objective genetic optimization algorithm and the AHP method. Meanwhile, topology optimization was introduced to improve the structural performance of the frame and reduce its weight. The optimization results show that the overall weight of the frame is reduced by 11.96% compared to the pre-optimization period, though it still meets the material performance specifications. By comparing the iterative curves of the single Kriging model with those of the AHP model, it can be seen that the initial optimization efficiency of the hybrid model is about twice as much as that of the AHP model, and the final optimization result is improved by about 3.6% compared with the Kriging model. This validates the hybrid model as an effective tool for the multi-objective optimization of electric vehicle frames, providing more efficient and accurate optimization results for frame design.

MONITORING OF LUBRICANT OIL OF HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS AS PART OF PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE

Hydraulic systems are widely used in different industries, such as civil construction, aerospace, automotive, oil, among others. The hydraulic fluid or lubricating oil of these systems is an important source of information regarding the state of the machines. In this way, the analysis of lubricating oil proves to be an important and effective tool to monitor the condition of components of hydraulic systems. Since the emergence of predictive maintenance, researchers have been dedicated to developing methods of online monitoring of hydraulic fluids in order to prevent failures, increase safety and reduce maintenance costs. Therefore, the present work sought to carry out a discussion on the importance of monitoring the hydraulic fluid, bringing the main methods of analysis and the most recent advances.

Comparative study of the three-dimensional perception of videos recorded on a "Do it yourself" three-dimensional recording assembly versus the conventional recording system.

To develop an indigenous "Do it yourself" (DIY) three-dimensional (3D) ophthalmic surgery recording system and validate the perception of stereopsis using it. A cross-sectional survey of practicing ophthalmologists with post-postgraduation experience of at least 5 years for perception of stereopsis for three different surgeries was performed; cataract, retinal detachment, and intravitreal drug injection were recorded on DIY assembly, viewed on VRBOX and using laptop videos and pseudo 3 d videos as control. The laptop videos and 3D VR Box videos received higher ratings for stereopsis than the pseudo 3D videos. The parameters that received significantly higher ratings on the 3D VR Box viewing were instrument's position relative to the ocular surface in cataract surgery, anterior chamber depth during capsular staining, ophthalmic visco-surgical device injection, capsulorhexis, phaco tunnel depth, movement of nuclear fragments in the anterior chamber, and intra-ocular lens tilt in the capsular bag during cataract surgery ( P < 0.05). In scleral buckling surgery, the parameters that were significantly rated higher on VR Box were globe contour, separation of the scleral plane from muscle, and explant plane ( P < 0.05). Furthermore, the depth of the needle in the vitreous cavity while administering intravitreal drug injection was also rated significantly higher on VR Box ( P < 0.05). However, the ratings for the depth of corneal incision, depth of scleral incision, overall color, and overall quality were not different statistically when compared between laptop and VR Box viewing. DIY 3D recording assembly offers a superior means of appreciating depth at various stages of cataract surgery, scleral buckling, and intravitreal drug injection when compared to laptop viewing and can serve as an effective tool for skill transfer.

Lateral torsional capacity of steel beams in different loading conditions by neural network

Lateral torsional buckling (LTB) is a common mode of failure in steel structures due to instability. However, current standard recommendations have limitations in accurately determining the ultimate capacity of members subjected to LTB. To address this issue, an in-depth parametric study using finite-element analysis (FEA) was conducted to investigate the effects of major parameters, including various types of loading, on the strength of steel I-beams. Additionally, the artificial neural network (ANN) technique was used to find a reliable procedure for assessing the LTB strength of steel I-beams using a generated database. To demonstrate the efficacy of the developed formulation, it was compared against predictions using existing equations. The presented formula demonstrated strong accuracy, making it an effective tool for engineers designing I-beams to resist LTB. This research makes significant contributions to the structural engineering field and has important implications for the creation and evaluation of steel structures.

Targeted hand hygiene audits and training: an effective tool for improvement in hand hygiene compliance

Background: Hand hygiene (HH) is the simplest, but most effective infection prevention and control measure. This study was aimed to determine HH compliance among health care workers (HCWs) in a cancer hospital and the impact of targeted and phased training over changes in HH compliance and determination of Hawthorne effect among HCWs. Methods: Prospective observational study conducted in two phases by HH trained auditor (Overt observer) and ICN (Covert observer) performing 30 minutes HH audit at ICU, haemato-lymphoid (HL) ward and paediatric ward to observe the pattern of HH compliance among HCW for HH moments and its impact over Hawthorne effect for HH compliance. Results: Highest compliance for HH was observed at HL ward (59.34%) in first phase and at ICU (70.08%) in second phase. Gradual and significant improvement in HH compliance was observed for ICU (52.24% to 70.08%), HL ward (59.34% to 68.48%) and paediatric ward (43.42% to 53.46%). Profession specific Hawthorne effect was observed for nurses with higher compliance in covert observation in first phase and for doctors with higher compliance in overt observation in second phase of the study. Conclusions: Regular targeted HH audit with motivational training is the better influential tool for improving HH compliance. Regular audits also improve efficiency of auditor for effective HH compliance supervision. Decentralization and availability of workstation specific HH auditor is the most of effective cost saving approach for achieving significant progressive improvement in HH adherence.

Stratified application of gene expression in diagnosis of thyroid nodules

Objective: To investigate the value of BRAF V600E and multigene detection and stratified application for the diagnosis of thyroid nodules. Methods: A total of 1 117 patients with thyroid nodules resection at Nanjing Gulou Hospital from December 2020 to July 2022 were enrolled in the study. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) and core biopsy samplings were performed for cytopathologic examination and genetic testings; the findings were combined with BSRTC classification. The diagnostic performance of BRAF V600E and multigene detection were compared. Results: Among the 1, 117 patients who underwent thyroid nodules resection, 285 were male and 832 were female, with a median age of 46 years (range: 24-76 years). Postoperative histopathologic examination confirmed 1 040 cases of thyroid cancer and 77 cases of benign nodules. The sensitivity (87.0% vs. 80.8%, P<0.01) and diagnostic accuracy (87.9% vs. 82.1%, P<0.01) of multigene detection were significantly higher than those of BRAF V600E detection. The result of multigene detection showed that BRAF V600E mutation was the most common finding, followed by CCDC6-RET (E1-E12) fusion, ETV6-NTRK3 fusion, and KRAS mutation. Multigene detection had a higher sensitivity (81.9% vs. 72.8%, P<0.01) and lower cancer risk in wild-type (47.6% vs. 57.7%, P=0.069) than BRAF V600E detection in BSRTCⅠ-Ⅴ lesions. Compared with BRAF V600E detection, multigene had no significant difference of sensitivity in BSRTC Ⅰ lesions, but significantly higher sensitivity (86.3% vs 74.0%, P<0.01) in BSRTC Ⅲ lesions. Conclusions: Genetic detection can be used as an effective tool for the diagnosis of thyroid nodules. A stratified application of molecular markers in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules is proposed. Combined with FNA, single gene or multigene detection both can effectively assist in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules. Moreover, multigene detection is superior to single gene detection. For BSRTC Ⅲ lesion with wild-type BRAF, multigene detection can be considered with a repeated FNA.

Innovation in physical testing equipment for karate junior kumite category

Background Problems: The lack of instruments suited to the unique needs of karate athletes in the junior Kumite category poses a significant challenge. Research Objectives: This study aims to develop a physical testing tool specifically designed to measure the physical abilities of junior athletes in the Kumite category. Methods: The research method used developmental research to test the effectiveness of the product in the form of a karate physical test instrument. The data analysis was obtained from the results of interviews, observations, field notes, and describes the percentage of success of the trial product both in terms of process and research results starting from the planning, implementation, reflection, evaluation stages in the form of psychomotor, affective, cognitive data, and physical test results. Furthermore, the data from the physical test results were analysed using SPSS version 23 statistical techniques to identify the relationship between physical test results and performance in Kumite. Findings and Results: The results of this study indicated that the newly developed physical test instrument can provide a more specific measurement of the physical abilities of junior karate athletes in the Kumite category. In addition, the results also provided greater insight into the physical factors that influence performance in Kumite matches. By providing a more effective tool and increasing the understanding of the relationship between physical attributes and competitive performance. Conclusion: The implication of this study is that a scientific approach using physical measures provides a valuable contribution to the development of a selection system and the coaching of junior karate athletes. Thus, this study makes an important contribution to the development of the performance of junior karate athletes and improves the efficiency of their selection and coaching processes.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Based Game Development ``Memory Game'' for Training Functions Alzheimer and Dementia Cognitive

Smart games, especially crossword puzzles can be an effective tool in aiding cognitive and physical exercise by stimulating the brain and strengthening brain connections, which can help prevent or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s and dementia. This research aimed to develop a crossword puzzle game into a digital version in Bahasa Indonesia with Artificial Intelligence (AI) features. The benefit of this game product can be used as a cognitive therapy for Alzheimer’s and dementia sufferers. The research method used is game development using the Game Development Life Cycle (GDLC) model with stages of initiation, pre-production, implementation/development, testing, launch, and maintenance. Implementation of digital version using Unity 3D game engine with AI feature of hint generating. This research was carried out for 8 months. Game testing results were carried out by testing the functionality of game features and the results were that all features functioned well. The innovation and importance of this work was to implement the memory crossword puzzle game design into a digital version in Bahasa by implementing artificial intelligence methods for the hints feature. This work will inspire developers to do greater work on Bahasa and implement various features based on AI methods.&#x0D; Keywords: digital memory games, artificial intelligence, crosswords, game development

Shushing the press shortens lives: cross-national evidence of the impact of press freedom on life expectancy.

Press freedom around the globe has deteriorated over the past decade, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper explores the effect of press freedom, as a cornerstone of democracy, on life expectancy. Exploring cross-country data, we use the ordinary least square method to estimate the association between press freedom and life expectancy. In addition, we adopt three novel instrumental variables to explore the causal relationship. Our estimations indicate that a freer press leads to higher life expectancy, and the effect exists independently of the level of democracy. In addition, the effect of continuous exposure to press freedom is stronger than sporadic free press status. The results are robust to measurement errors, influential outliers, and country-specific heterogeneity. This study reveals the fundamental role of press freedom in promoting public health that was previously underexplored. Therefore, enhancing freedom of expression can be an effective tool to address three of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, that is, reduce under-five mortality, improve maternal health, and combat HIV/AIDS.JEL:I1 H7 D02.

The problem of pain and its assessment in children with epidermolysis bullosa

Goal. Currently, there is an increasing interest in the treatment and improvement of the quality of life of patients with rare chronic diseases, and one of the urgent issues remains the problem of pain syndrome assessment and prevention. The purpose of the review article was to study the problem of pain and its assessment in children with epidermolysis bullosa. Theoretical justification. In the article, the problem of pain is considered as a complex biopsychosocial phenomenon, according to the results of a theoretical review, the main provisions of the concept of the multifactorial nature of pain are presented, which must be taken into account when selecting tools for assessing pain when working with gene dermatoses (epidermolysis bullosa) in childhood. Based on the analysis of Russian and foreign studies, a number of the most problematic areas in the assessment of pain in children are identified. Results and their discussion. According to the results of the analysis of a number of studies, the description of the main manifestations of epidermolysis bullosa and possible causes of pain is given. The biopsychosocial multifactorial nature of pain is considered, its neurobiological, psychological and functional consequences are presented, and on the basis of the research presented, conclusions are drawn for the first time about the principles of selecting the most effective tools for assessing pain and its impact on the vital activity of children with a chronic incurable disease. Pain assessment should include children’s previous experiences and expectations, coping strategies and pain relief resources, and communication features with caring adults. All forms of epidermolysis bullosa are characterized by pain and discomfort, and their elimination plays a key role in terms of the patient’s well-being and quality of life.

Interpretable Siamese dual attention enhancement transfer compound diagnostic model for unbalanced samples

The intelligent transfer diagnosis model is used to address the issue of feature drift caused by the changing working conditions of rotating parts in engineering. However, few models can perform transfer diagnosis on multiple unbalanced samples of rotating parts simultaneously, and even fewer models can visually enhance the domain-invariant features, making them more interpretable. To address these issues, we propose a novel interpretable Siamese dual attention enhancement transfer compound diagnosis model for unbalanced samples. The model can diagnose multiple rotating parts simultaneously and consists of a channel feature attention enhancement (CFAE) network, a fragment feature attention enhancement (FFAE) network, and a Siamese feature fusion (SFF) network. The CFAE network enhances features of different convolutional channels, the FFAE network improves segment features in various frequency domains, and the SFF network extracts domain-invariant features of diverse rotating components under varying working conditions. The model is validated using bearing fault data collected under different loads and planetary gear fault data obtained at varying speeds. Its diagnostic accuracy remains above 96.4%, and the diagnostic variance is controlled within 1.0%. The model has good interpretability for imbalanced sample domain-invariant features, providing an effective tool for interpretable transfer diagnosis in this compound engineering situation.

Appreciations and practices of digital citizenship in the Andean community

Digital citizenship implies people's participation in managing their rights and civic engagements. However, definitions clash with reality due to institutional conditions, perceptions, and limited information literacy skills. In this context, it is of interest to determine the perceptions, forms of intervention and treatment of the concept of digital citizenship from the perspectives of citizens and the media in the Andean countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru). The methodology is qualitative and quantitative with a descriptive scope. The research techniques used are a survey, semi-structured interviews and content analysis. 497 people from the Andean countries responded to an online questionnaire between 16 June and 23 July 2023. Participants were selected on the basis of non-probabilistic sampling. The semi-structured interviews were conducted between 15 and 30 May 2023 through Zoom; and the sample of newspaper articles corresponds to quotas. It is concluded that the media and social networks are effective tools for citizen participation, but it is suggested that the agendas to be revised to include the voices of the protagonists. There is a predominance of an instrumental conception, and social networks have been valued as means of communication. Andean inhabitants show resistance to the defense of rights or the management of social change, which could be fostered through a conscious and broad exercise of digital citizenship.

Impact of Loneliness on Training Gains with Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback in the Elderly: A Pilot Study.

The negative impact of loneliness on the health of the elderly is particularly noticeable because of the effects of central control on the autonomic nervous system. Such an impact can be assessed through heart rate variability (HRV) analysis and can be modified using HRV biofeedback training. This study aimed to investigate the impact of different levels of social interaction reported by the elderly on HRV before and after training with HRV biofeedback and after a follow-up period. The participants of this pilot study comprised 16 elderly people of both sexes with a mean age of 71.20 ± 4.92years. The participants were divided into two groups, the loneliness group (N = 8) and the no-loneliness group (N = 8), based on a combination of both criteria: the institutionalization condition (institutionalized or not) and the score on the loneliness scale (high or low). All participants had their HRV components recorded at baseline, after 14 training sessions with HRV biofeedback (three times a week, 15min each for 4.5weeks), and after 4.5weeks of follow-up without training. After HRV biofeedback training, HRV components increased in both groups. However, the gains lasted at follow-up only in the no-loneliness group. In conclusion, loneliness can influence the maintenance of HRV after interruption of training with HRV biofeedback in the elderly. HRV biofeedback training can be an innovative and effective tool for complementary treatment of elderly individuals, but its effects on lonely elderly individuals need to be further investigated.

Reversible Optical Control of Polarization in Epitaxial Ferroelectric Thin Films.

Light is an effective tool to probe the polarization and domain distribution in ferroelectric materials passively, that is, non-invasively, for example, via optical second harmonic generation (SHG). With the emergence of oxide electronics, there is now a strong demand to expand the role of light toward active control of the polarization. In this work, optical control of the ferroelectric polarization is demonstratedin prototypical epitaxial PbZrx Ti1-x O3 (PZT)-based heterostructures. This is accomplished in three steps, using above-bandgap UV light, while tracking the response of the polarization with optical SHG. First, it is found that UV-light exposure induces a transient enhancement or suppression of the ferroelectric polarization in films with an upward- or downward-oriented polarization, respectively. This behavior is attributed to a modified charge screening driven by the separation of photoexcited charge carriers at the Schottky interface of the ferroelectric thin film. Second, by taking advantage of this optical handle on electrostatics, remanent optical poling from a pristine multi-domain into a single-domain configuration is accomplished. Third, via thermal annealing or engineered electrostatic boundary conditions, a complete reversibility of the optical poling is further achieved. Hence, this work paves the way for the all-optical control of the spontaneous polarization in ferroelectric thinfilms.

Editorial Comment: Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound of Indeterminate Renal Masses-An Underutilized But Effective Tool.

Editorial Comment: Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound of Indeterminate Renal Masses-An Underutilized But Effective Tool.

A Smartphone-Gamified Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy Augmented With Biofeedback for Ailurophobia: Development and Evaluation Study.

To the best of our knowledge, no specialized research has been conducted to address ailurophobia (fear of cats) in Iran or globally. This has driven our project, along with the prevalence of ailurophobia and the absence of a gamified virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) that incorporates affordable and easily accessible biofeedback (BF) tools. We hypothesize that a gamified VRET augmented with BF will yield more positive effects than a similar device lacking BF. This study primarily focuses on the development and preliminary evaluation of a smartphone-gamified VRET integrated with BF, targeting animal phobia, with a specific case study on ailurophobia. The secondary objectives are using affordable and readily available BF found in devices such as smart bands and smartwatches and creating a mobile virtual reality gamified app to improve patients' adherence to treatments while simultaneously enhancing the app's accessibility, scalability, and outreach. Evaluations encompassed 3 methods. First, we identified the tool's potential positive effects on phobia interventions, exploring 4 effects: intrinsic motivation, simulation of fearful situations, management of stressful circumstances without therapists' presence and mitigation of catastrophic thoughts, and preliminary effects on ailurophobia treatment. Participants were divided into BF and non-BF groups. Second, we gathered user preferences and opinions about the treatment. Third, we conducted heuristic evaluations using 44 heuristics from existing system usability scales assessing user interfaces, virtual reality platforms, and video games' playability. To interpret the data, mean scores; ANOVA, single factor; and ANOVA, 2-factor with replication were used. A total of 29 individuals were identified, of which 10 met the eligibility criteria or were accessible. The smartphone-gamified VRET augmented with BF exhibited better results on the identified effects compared with the non-BF version and contributed to normalizing encounters with cats. Moreover, 41 of the 44 heuristics achieved a percentage above 62%, indicating its potential as a therapeutic product and its ability to enhance patient adherence to treatments. Patient preferences on the treatment and its strengths and weaknesses were provided for further improvement. The tool has the potential to evolve into a comprehensive solution by incorporating various types of cats and their behaviors, simulating environments in which they are commonly found, and enhancing its appeal through an increased sense of adventure without inducing unrealistic fears. By adapting fear elements, the game can be tailored to treat various animal phobias. Phobia-focused games should avoid action and combat scenarios to prevent reinforcement of fear responses. After rigorous evaluation, further exploration is required to provide remote use beyond clinical settings.