Entire Segment Research Articles

The Impact of Street-Edge Scales on Everyday Activities in Wuhan’s Urban Village Streets

Despite extensive research on what draws people to urban streets, most existing insights originate from Western contexts, offering limited perspectives from wider urban contexts. This study addresses this gap by examining everyday street activities in Chinese urban villages, focusing specifically on how two spatial scales, the entire street edge and territorial segments, influence necessary, optional, and social engagements. Drawing on video recordings and walk-by observations in two urban villages in Wuhan, China, the research systematically measured the type and duration of activities across 110 territorially defined segments. The findings reveal that territorial segments, i.e., smaller-scale personalised subdivisions at a micro-scale often shaped by bottom–up adaptations, exert a significantly stronger influence upon how people use and linger in street space rather than entire street edges at a macro-scale, which shows only limited impact. This underscores the importance of fine-grained socio-spatial design and local ownership in fostering vibrant people-centred streets. By demonstrating the decisive role of micro-scale features, which span storefront layouts, semi-public alcoves, and adaptive uses, these results carry important implications for urban practitioners seeking to balance top–down redevelopment with bottom–up initiatives. Ultimately, the study enriches the global discourse on street-edge understanding and design, emphasising that territorial segments can be powerful catalysts for promoting activity and community life in dense urban contexts.

Surgical management of benign tumors of the parotid gland: the advantages of extracapsular dissection compared to traditional surgical techniques.

Salivary gland tumors represent only 3%-6% of all head and neck neoplasms, and approximately 70% of these tumors are located in the parotid gland. Most of these tumors are found in the more abundant superficial portion of the parotid gland, lateral to the facial nerve (FN). For many years, the location of the facial nerve between the superficial and deep segments of the parotid gland hindered adequate tumor extirpation. Several surgical options are available for the treatment of benign tumors in the parotid gland, but there remains no universal agreement on what the optimal surgical treatment is. In the early twentieth century, tumor enucleation was the standard treatment for parotid tumors to preserve the facial nerve, but high recurrence rates were the main downside of this procedure. To improve the outcome, superficial parotidectomy (SP) was implemented, which involves excision of the entire lateral segment of the parotid gland, superficial to the facial nerve. However, this surgical procedure may lead to severe postoperative complications, including facial nerve paralysis, in a significant number of patients. In recent years, more gland-preserving techniques were developed to reduce complication rates and improve the safety of procedures and patients' satisfaction, without increasing the risk of recurrence. This study compares our surgical experience with extracapsular dissection gland-sparing surgery (ECD) to traditional superficial parotidectomy in 56 patients who underwent surgery performed by the same surgical team. The superiority of ECD procedures compared to SP procedures was shown as far as total complication rates are concerned. In this case, Fisher's exact test statistic value was 0.0043 (significant at P < 0.05). ECD should be applied in properly selected cases and further prospective studies are needed to clarify the optimal indications.

Investigation of the Ocular Response and Corneal Damage Threshold of Exposure to 28 GHz Quasi-millimeter Wave Exposure.

Electromagnetic radiation energy at millimeter wave frequencies, typically 30 GHz to 300 GHz, is ubiquitously used in society in devices for telecommunications; radar and imaging systems for vehicle collision avoidance, security screening, and medical equipment; scientific research tools for spectroscopy; industrial applications for non-destructive testing and precise measurement; and military and defense applications. Understanding the biological effects of this technology is essential. We have been investigating ocular responses and damage thresholds comparing various frequencies using rabbit eyes and dedicated experimental apparatus. In this study we investigated the 28 GHz quasi-millimeter wave band (wavelength: 10.7 mm), a candidate for 5G communication. Similar to millimeter wave frequencies, ocular damage from exposure to 28 GHz for 6 min (400 mW cm-2) included corneal epithelial damage, corneal edema, and opacity. The incident power density threshold, indicating a 50% probability of ocular damage from exposure for 6 min, was found to be 359 mW cm-2 for 28 GHz. Comparing the ocular exposure area for various millimeter wave frequencies (40, 75, 95 GHz) and 28 GHz quasi-millimeter waves using a thermosensitive liquid crystal capsule, we found that for millimeter waves, even at identical incident power densities, the ocular exposure area decreases as the frequency increases (lens effect). However, this lens effect was not observed at 28 GHz, where the entire anterior segment area was exposed to radio waves.

Analysis of stress changes on the Poso fault caused by large inland earthquakes: Case study of the 2017 Mw 6.6 Poso and the 2018 Mw 7.5 Palu-Donggala earthquakes

The 2017 Mw 6.6 Poso and the 2018 Mw 7.5 Palu-Donggala represent significant seismic events in central Sulawesi Island. These events transferred the stress to the surrounding faults, which can promote or inhibit the critical condition in a fault, thus evaluating the stress transfer from these earthquakes is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of fault behaviour. In this study, we investigate the effect of these large events by resolving the accumulated Coulomb stress change onto a multi-strike segment of the Poso fault. Additionally, we also used GPS measurement (Global Strain Rate Model) to estimate the increase in tectonic stress rate due to coupling of triple-junction plate convergence. The 2017 Poso earthquake induces positive stress changes (7 kPa to 27 kPa) in the central segment, negative changes (–4 kPa to –10 kPa) in the northern segment, and less significant effects in the southern segment. The 2018 Palu-Donggala earthquake imparts a notably high negative Coulomb stress (–16 kPa to –27 kPa) across the entire northern segment. Cumulatively, both earthquakes reduce Coulomb stress predominantly in the northern part of the Poso fault, suggesting a delayed critical point. Furthermore, the analysis of the Coulomb stress changes time function indicates that stress accumulation in the northern Poso fault is more modulated by large earthquakes, while stress accumulation in the southern segments may be more controlled by longterm tectonic stress loading. The stress accumulation model developed in this study can provide a guidance in better understanding further earthquake risk mitigation in central Sulawesi.

Digital twin‐based production logistics resource optimisation configuration method in smart cloud manufacturing environment

AbstractTo adapt to the dynamic, diverse, and personalised needs of customers, manufacturing enterprises face the challenge of continuously adjusting their resource structure. This has led manufacturers to shift towards a smart cloud manufacturing mode in order to build highly flexible production logistics (PL) systems. In these systems, the optimal configuring of PL resources is fundamental for daily logistics planning and vehicle scheduling control, providing necessary resources for the entire PL segment. However, traditional resource configuration methods face limitations, such as incomplete information acquisition, slow response in resource configuration, and suboptimal configuration results, leading to high subsequent operational costs and inefficient logistics transportation. These issues limit the performance of the PL system. To address these challenges, the authors propose a digital twin‐based optimisation model and method for smart cloud PL resources. The approach begins with constructing an optimisation model for the PL system considering the quality of service for a cloud resource is constructed, aiming to minimise the number of logistics vehicles and the total cost of the PL system. Additionally, a DT‐based decision framework for optimising smart cloud PL resources is proposed. Alongside a DT‐based dynamic configuration strategy for smart cloud PL resources is designed. By developing a multi‐teacher grouping teaching strategy and a cross‐learning strategy, the teaching and learning strategies of the standard teaching‐learning‐based optimisation algorithm are improved. Finally, numerical simulation experiments were conducted on the logistics transportation process of a cooperating enterprise, verifying the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed algorithms and strategies. The findings of this study provide valuable references for the management of PL resources and algorithm design in advanced manufacturing modes.

RapidBrachyIVBT: A dosimetry software for patient-specific intravascular brachytherapy dose calculations on optical coherence tomography images.

Coronary artery disease is the most common form of cardiovascular disease. It is caused by excess plaque along the arterial wall, blocking blood flow to the heart (stenosis). A percutaneous coronary intervention widens the arterial wall with the inflation of a balloon inside the lesion area and leaves behind a metal stent to prevent re-narrowing of the artery (restenosis). However, in-stent restenosis may occur due to damage to the arterial wall tissue, triggering neointimal hyperplasia, producing fibrotic and calcified plaques and narrowing the artery again. Drug-eluting stents, which slowly release medication to inhibit neointimal hyperplasia, are used to prevent in-stent restenosis but fail up to 20% of cases. Coronary intravascular brachytherapy (IVBT), which uses -emitting radionuclides to prevent in-stent restenosis, is used in these failed cases to prevent in-stent restenosis. However, current clinical dosimetry for IVBT is water-based, and heterogeneities such as the guidewire of the IVBT device, fibrotic and calcified plaques and stents are not considered. This study aimed to develop a Monte Carlo-based dose calculation software, accounting for patient-specific geometry from Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)images. RapidBrachyIVBT, a Monte Carlo dose calculation software based on the Geant4 toolkit v. 10.02.p02, was developed and integrated into RapidBrachyMCTPS, a treatment planning system for brachytherapy applications. The only commercially available IVBT delivery system, the Novoste Beta-Cath 3.5F, with a source train, was modeled with 30, 40, and 60mm source train lengths. The software was validated with published TG-149 parameters compared to Monte Carlo simulations in water. The dose calculation engine was tested with OCT images from a patient undergoing coronary IVBT for recurrent in-stent restenosis at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Considering the heterogeneities, the images were segmented and used to calculate the absorbed dose to water and the absorbed dose to medium. The prescribed dose was normalized to 23Gy at 2.0mm from the source center, which is the target volume in IVBT. The dose rate values in water obtained using RapidBrachyIVBT aligned with TG-149 consensus values, showing agreement within a range of 0.03% to 1.7%. Considering the heterogeneities present in the patient's OCT images, the absorbed dose in the entire artery segment was up to 77.5% lower, while within the target volume, it was up to 56.6% lower, compared to the dose calculated in a homogeneous waterphantom. RapidBrachyIVBT, a Monte Carlo dose calculation software for IVBT, was developed and successfully integrated into RapidBrachyMCTPS, a treatment planning system for brachytherapy applications, where accurate attenuation of the absorbed dose by heterogeneities isconsidered.

MRI Spinal Cord Reconstruction Provides Insights into Mapping and Migration Following Percutaneous Epidural Stimulation Implantation in Spinal Cord Injury.

Background: Spinal cord epidural stimulation (SCES) has the potential to restore motor functions following spinal cord injury (SCI). Spinal cord mapping is a cornerstone step towards successfully configuring SCES to improve motor function, aiming to restore standing and stepping abilities in individuals with SCI. While some centers have advocated for the use of intraoperative mapping to anatomically target the spinal cord locomotor centers, this is a resource-intensive endeavor and may not be a feasible approach in all centers. Methods: Two participants underwent percutaneous SCES implantation as part of a clinical trial. Each participant underwent a temporary (1-week, two-lead) trial followed by a permanent, two-lead implantation. SCES configurations were matched between temporary and permanent mappings, and motor evoked potential in response to 2 Hz, for a duration of 250-1000 µs and with an amplitude of 1-14 mA, was measured using electromyography. T2 axial MRI images captured prior to implantation were used to retrospectively reconstruct the lumbosacral segments of the spinal cord. The effects of lead migration on mapping were further determined in one of the participants. Results: In both participants, there were recognized discrepancies in the recruitment curves of the motor evoked potentials across different muscle groups between temporary and permanent SCES mappings. These may be explained by retrospective MRI reconstruction of the spinal cord, which indicated that the percutaneous leads did not specifically target the entire L1-S2 segments in both participants. Minor lead migration appeared to have a minimal impact on spinal cord mapping outcomes in one of the participants but did dampen the motor activity of the hip and knee muscle groups. Conclusions: Temporary mapping coupled with MRI reconstruction has the potential to be considered as guidance for permanent implantation considering target activation of the spinal cord locomotor centers. Since lead migration may alter the synergistic coordination between different muscle groups and since lead migration of 1-2 contacts is expected and planned for in clinical practice, it can be better guided with proper spinal cord mapping and a diligent SCES lead trial beforehand.

The Lomonosov Ridge, central Arctic Ocean - the world's longest submarine ridge of continental origin: outline of the history of exploration, morphology, sediment deposition, and exhumation of the North American and Central ridge segments

We have accessed the North American segment of the Lomonosov Ridge in the central Arctic Ocean by a 12-month hovercraft expedition on drifting sea ice and revisit legacy seismic data to explore the geological history of the ridge. Seismic reflection images on the North American segment resemble the acoustic reflection sequence calibrated by scientific drilling at the ACEX site on the Central ridge segment, although the thickness of the Cenozoic sediment section is reduced to 70%. A base-Cenozoic unconformity is present north of about 88 o 30’ N and older sediments dip towards the Makarov Basin along the entire ridge segment. During the Eocene, sediment drifts were deposited along the flanks on top of the North American segment north of 87 o N as well as next to the ACEX drill site on the Central segment of the ridge. Two local sediment lenses deposited at the Canadian end of the Lomonosov Ridge document local ridge-uplift events at about 56 Ma and 48 Ma during the Eurekan Orogeny. Compressional velocity gradients derived from published seismic reflection/refraction measurements are consistent with 1-3 km of Cretaceous/early Cenozoic exhumation of an up to 500 km wide swath of continental crust along the polar continental margin including the Lomonosov Ridge, Svalbard and Franz Josef Land .

Dynamic Kidney Organoid Microphysiological Analysis Platform.

Kidney organoids, replicating human development, pathology, and drug responses, are a promising model for advancing bioscience and pharmaceutical innovation. However, reproducibility, accuracy, and quantification challenges hinder their broader utility for advanced biological and pharmaceutical applications. Herein, we present a dynamic kidney organoid microphysiological analysis platform (MAP), designed to enhance organoid modeling and assays within physiologically relevant environments, thereby expanding their utility in advancing kidney physiology and pathology research. First, precise control of the dynamic microenvironment in MAP enhances the ability to fine-tune nephrogenic intricacies, facilitating high-throughput and reproducible human kidney organoid development. Also, MAP's miniaturization of kidney organoids significantly advances pharmaceutical research by allowing for detailed analysis of entire nephron segments, which is crucial for assessing the nephrotoxicity and safety of drugs. Furthermore, the MAP's application in disease modeling faithfully recapitulates pathological development and functions as a valuable testbed for therapeutic exploration in polycystic kidney diseases. We envision the kidney organoid MAP enhancing pharmaceutical research, standardizing processes, and improving analytics, thereby elevating the quality and utility of organoids in biology, pharmacology, precision medicine, and education.

Частные военные компании как инструмент продвижения геополитических интересов

Private military companies (PMCs) are increasingly becoming the focus of various mass media outlets today, whereas 20–30 years ago they were perceived as something exotic. The disclosure of such entities’ activities has led to the formation of an entire segment of opinions-ranging from their omnipotence to a fashionable trend that holds little interest for the public. However, the emergence of geopolitical issues, the escalation of global tensions, and the active engagement of PMCs cannot be seen as coincidental. Furthermore, these entities themselves are not homogeneous; they perform a wide range of tasks and services, allowing for classification based on the sphere and geography of their activities. Particularly noteworthy is the role of PMCs in promoting the geopolitical and economic interests of states and transnational corporations. In this context, it is crucial to examine the reasons states opt to utilize such structures in place of conventional national military formations, as well as the future prospects for businesses seeking their services. As globalization accelerates, the intertwining of business and security interests becomes more pronounced, leading to a scenario where PMCs serve as facilitators for resource extraction and protection in volatile regions. This interplay raises questions regarding accountability, legality, and the ethical implications of employing private entities for missions traditionally held by state actors. In conclusion, the augmentation of PMCs in modern geopolitical landscapes presents a complex and multifaceted issue. Their growing prominence as instruments for advancing national and corporate interests warrants further investigation, as it bears significant implications for international relations, security policies, and the ethical considerations surrounding the privatization of military force.

Fatigue assessment for tower bolts of floating offshore wind turbine considering preload loss due to ambient temperature creep

A framework for fatigue assessment for tower bolts of floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) taking into account the impact of preload loss due to ambient temperature creep and plastic deformation is proposed. The ambient temperature creep of high strength steel is modeled in terms of Norton's theory. The residual preload of tower bolt is predicted by a detailed finite element (FE) model of the threaded bolt connection. Subsequently, the residual preload is applied to the FE model of the entire tower segment to achieve the stress range of the bolts. Fatigue life prediction is finally conducted using the Palmgren-Miner's (PM) rule based on S-N curves, with corrections by effects of mean stress and bolt sizes. A fatigue assessment for tower bolts of a 5 MW FOWT is then performed to demonstrate the capability of the proposed framework. Moreover, impact of initial preload, thread friction coefficients and flange gap on preload loss and fatigue life of tower bolts are discussed.

Automated system for classifying images of video streams for timely detection of fires

ABSTRACT Early detection of a fire during its development stage is highly desired to minimize human and material losses. The improvement of the efficiency of these monitoring systems through the analysis of fire video data drawn from unmanned aerial vehicles is considered . Classification of video images when monitoring a fire event on the territory is used based on their segmentation into identical rectangular segments of a given size and then assigning them to one of three classes: Smoke, Flame, and Indifferent classes. The Walsh-Hadamard transform was used to form descriptors for the Weak classifiers. Descriptors were calculated for three Weak classifiers; first, the Walsh-Hadamard transform was calculated for the window of the entire segment, and its spectral coefficients were used for the first Weak classifier. Next, the descriptors were calculated in windows whose sizes were half and a quarter of the original window size. The classifier consisted of three independently-trained neural networks. A simple ensemble averaging block was used to combine the outputs of those networks. A special software code has been developed to classify video images. The code allows us to create a database of segments of the ‘Smoke’ and ‘Flame’ classes, determine the two-dimensional Walsh-Hadamard spectrum of video image segments, train fully connected neural networks, conduct exploratory analysis and evaluate the relevance of the calculated two-dimensional spectral coefficients. For validation we used real data from Сlosed Circuit Television cameras presented in open databases. The experimental studies on the classification of video data containing flames and smoke showed that the proposed method has an average smoke detection accuracy of 86% and an average flame detection accuracy of 89.5%. Errors II in smoke detection and flame detection had the averages of 13% and 4.5%, respectively.

Neostructural zoning of the Russian part of the Greater Caucasus megavault, the Eastern segment (advanced studies for engineering survey)

The use of the orotectonic method made it possible to detail significantly the previously proposed schemes of neotectonic zoning of the Eastern segment of the Greater Caucasus megavault. In the Russian part of the segment, the zones of the North-Eastern and Central uplifts are traced. Within the North-Eastern zone, Western, Eastern and Southern subzones are distinguished, differing in their structure and orientation of the main structures. Block structures predominate in the Western and Southern subzones, and folded ones in the Eastern subzones. Among the anticlinal folds, there are folds with eroded arches, as well as folds that are partially preserved. The zone of the central uplifts includes the subzones of the side and main ridges, separated by the subzone of the axial troughs. The trough subzone crosses the entire Eastern segment of the megavault and includes the Northwestern group of differently oriented grabens and the eastern Bezhtino-Samur suture-depression zone with longitudinal grabens. This zone and its subzones are limited by the largest faults and reverse faults. Most regional and local structures are separated by active faults, which may be dangerous for the stability of engineering structures. The obtained original data, which is not available in standard materials on geological surveying for a given area, is useful for construction design and geoecology.

Effect of Economic Risk Sources on the Quality of the Business Environment in the SME Segment: A Case Study from the Slovak Republic

The aim of the article is to define and quantify the impact of specific economic risk sources on the quality of the business environment (QBE). The subject of the analysis was the evaluation of the impact of selected economic risk sources, including the macroeconomic environment, monetary policy and interest rates, and corporate financing on the QBE. Data was collected between 2018 and 2022 using an online survey method. A total of 480 SMEs from the Slovak Republic’s business environment completed the questionnaire. Advanced statistical techniques, including descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and linear regression analysis, were employed to evaluate the statistical hypotheses. The empirical results yielded several significant findings. All examined sources of the macroeconomic environment, such as the level of basic macroeconomic indicators, the state of the macroeconomic environment in the context of starting a business, and innovation activities of SMEs, determine the QBE. Other key factors that positively influence the quality of the business environment include: stabilization of the business environment by the central bank's monetary policy; the level of bank interest rates on the innovation activities of companies and availability of bank loans. The findings are significant not only for the SME segment itself and their owners and top managers but also for national-level institutions along with non-profit organizations assisting in improving the entire SME segment in the business environment.

Evaluation of nontarget lesions in femoropopliteal disease using near-infrared spectroscopy intravascular ultrasound imaging.

In coronary artery disease (CAD), lipid-core-containing plaque (LCP) in nontarget lesions detected using near-infrared spectroscopy intravascular ultrasound (NIRS-IVUS) was related to increased major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with CAD. In the endovascular therapy field, few previous studies using NIRS-IVUS revealed the presence of LCPs in severe stenotic lesions of femoropopliteal disease. This study aimed to assess the plaque morphology of nontarget lesions, especially LCPs, and compare it with that of target lesions using NIRS-IVUS in patients with femoropopliteal disease. This single-center prospective observational study included 14 patients who underwent endovascular therapy for FP disease. NIRS-IVUS assessment was performed on the entire FP arterial segment. Forty-one LCP lesions with a maximum lipid-core burden index in any 4-mm region (max LCBI4mm) > 100 were detected using NIRS-IVUS. We evaluated the patient and lesion characteristics. LCP lesions were divided into the target (n = 18) and nontarget (n = 23) lesion groups for comparison. Patient characteristics were notable for advanced age (76.8 ± 6.6 years); high proportion of males (78.7%); and high incidence of hypertension (100%), dyslipidemia (78.6%), diabetes (64.3%). Regarding NIRS findings, the target lesion group exhibited a significantly smaller proportion of LCPs concerning the lesion length (25.9 ± 15.7% vs. 50.6 ± 29.2%, p = 0.002) than the nontarget lesion group. Conversely, there were no significant differences in the value of max LCBI4mm (284.4 ± 153.4 vs. 289.5 ± 113.1, p = 0.90), length of LCP lesion (9.8 ± 9.7 mm vs. 10.7 ± 6.9 mm, p = 0.74), and distribution of LCPs (p = 0.08) between the groups. In addition, the number of LCPs in the target FP artery positively correlated with max LCBI4mm in the target FP artery (r = 0.671, p = 0.008). NIRS-IVUS findings demonstrated the presence of LCPs in nontarget lesions in patients with FP disease. Moreover, the abundance of LCPs in nontarget lesions was similar to that in target lesions in FP disease.

Unlocking growth: Investigating asymmetry in the financial inclusion-growth nexus in financially inclusive middle east economies

Financial inclusion is a crucial element of financial development that transmits cheap financial services to provide advantages to entire segments of society and stimulates economic growth. Our investigation evaluates the asymmetric financial inclusion-economic growth nexus in the top 10 financially inclusive Middle East nations (Israel, Oman, Iran, Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait). Earlier studies adopted panel data tools, which yielded typical outcomes on the association between financial inclusion and economic growth despite few economies did not indicate such a link individually. Conversely, the present work adopts Quantile-on-Quantile approach which can scrutinize time-series dependency among nations exclusively to give international, though country-specific, comprehension of the variables’ correlation. The outcomes show that financial inclusion boosts economic growth in our selected economies at numerous quantiles of data distribution. In addition, the results depict that the degree of asymmetry in the financial inclusion-economic growth nexus diverges by the nation. The outcomes highlight the critical need for governments and policymakers to prioritize financial inclusion and economic growth across various levels by emphasizing a strategic and comprehensive approach to ensure effective and sustainable growth.

Investigation of wind loads on angle steel columns in lattice structures via force measurement method on members

As the demand for precise prediction of fatigue and collapse continues to grow, it is imperative to conduct research on wind load calculation methods for lattice structures using members as the fundamental unit. This study focuses on the tower body of an angle steel lattice structure with a rectangular cross-section. The aerodynamic characteristics of entire segments, column members in lattice structures, and a single angle steel were investigated, along with the aerodynamic interference effects on members within lattice structures. The research findings indicate that drag coefficients cannot universally substitute the SRSS coefficients of column members or a single angle steel across all wind directions. Therefore, considering that the drag coefficient of the column member or single angle steel surpasses 98% of their SRSS coefficients at a wind direction of 45°, a particular skewed wind load factor was defined, and its fitting formula was proposed. Additionally, a calculation method for wind loads on columns within lattice structures was developed, introducing the concepts of SRSS angle and aerodynamic interference factors on members. The comparison among the experimental data, fitting formula, and proposed calculation method, were conducted. To facilitate the practical application, the simplified formulas for both AIF and SRSS were recommended.

Asymptotics of the Solution of a Two-Point Bundary-Value Problem with Single Points

In many areas of science, complex problems are described by differential equations with a small parameter. One famous physicist is credited with the phrase: A phenomenon is not physical if it lacks a small parameter. A differential equation (ordinary or partial differential) with a small parameter at the highest derivative is called a singularly perturbed differential equation. Such equations arise in electrical and radio engineering, mechanics, hydraulic and aerodynamics, etc. The article is devoted to the construction of a complete expansion of the solution to a singularly perturbed two-point boundary value problem with two singular points on the boundaries of the segment under consideration. The solution is sought in the form of a sum of three functions that can be represented by asymptotic series. It is impossible to construct a uniform asymptotic expansion on a straight line, so an auxiliary function is introduced, with the help of which it is possible to construct an asymptotic expansion on the entire segment, including singular points.

Systematic Testing of Road Markings’ Retroreflectivity to Increase Their Sustainability through Improvement of Properties: Croatia Case Study

Road markings are important elements of road infrastructure, influencing traffic safety. Since they are deteriorating systems, their upkeep through renewals is important. To assure the quality of the renewal jobs, the systematic testing of retroreflectivity, which is the key performance parameter of road markings, was imposed in Croatia. Results from two decades of annual measurements of renewal jobs are provided. For the first decade, the measurements were taken statically, at spot locations, and later dynamically, across the entire road segments. When the evaluation started, only 1 out of 18 tested job sites was exceeding the minimum requirements; only after 8 years of measurements, 100% of the jobs exceeded the minimum demands. A subsequent switch to dynamic testing revealed that, on average, only 71% of the renewed road markings were in satisfactory condition and approximately 1.22% of the analysed line lengths had grossly substandard retroreflectivity. These results demonstrated that the field verification of jobs quality is necessary and simultaneously showed that static localised testing was not adequate. The outcome underlines the need for the strict supervision of road maintenance contracts to maximise the benefits for the society: through the better visibility of road markings, road safety should also improve, and the entire system will become more sustainable.

Advanced Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Modeling in Mice by Combination of Topical Elastase and Oral ß-aminopropionitrile.

The topical elastase murine model of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is enhanced when combined with ß-aminopropionitrile (BAPN)-supplemented drinking water to reliably produce true infrarenal aneurysms with behaviors that mimic human AAAs. Topically applying elastase to the adventitia of the infrarenal aorta causes structural damage to the elastic layers of the aortic wall and initiates aneurysmal dilation. Co-administering BAPN, a lysyl oxidase inhibitor, promotes sustained wall degeneration by reducing collagen and elastin crosslinking. This combination results in large AAAs that progressively expand, form intraluminal thrombus, and are capable of rupture. Refining surgical techniques, such as circumferentially isolating the entire infrarenal aortic segment, can help standardize the procedure for a consistent and thorough application of porcine pancreatic elastase despite different operators and anatomic variations between mice. Therefore, the elastase/BAPN model is a refined approach to surgically inducing AAA in mice, which may better recapitulate human aneurysms and provide additional opportunities to study aneurysm growth and rupture risk.